


A King With No Crown

by PeachDream91



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Brotherly Love, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Magic, Marvel Universe, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-28 14:16:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 49,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21138050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PeachDream91/pseuds/PeachDream91
Summary: *Broken Timeline from Endgame*Loki quickly seizes the tesseract as a brief commotion breaks out among his captors. He leaves and hides before the Avengers can stop him. Only the Convergence of 2013 can bring him back into Heimdall's view, and Thor swiftly brings him home before retrieving Jane. After the ordeal with the Dark Elves seeking the Aether, Loki redeems himself and returns home with his brother. His renewing affection for Thor keeps him begrudgingly on Asgard throughout the Thunder God's wedding celebrations with Jane. But a certain taser-happy, voluptuous Midgardian might just prove to make it all worth it for Loki.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Author's Note:
> 
> So this takes place in the broken timeline from Endgame, when Loki escapes with the tesseract right after trying to take over the world in 2012. Since the Convergence should still come in this timeline's 2013, it made sense to me to make the whole Dark Elves and Aether story as much the same as the original timeline. The first chapter is a fairly quick 2-part prologue to just catch everything up. There's a lot of references to Thor Dark World in Part 2, and obviously the first and last Avengers have sort of outlined the beginning premise.
> 
> It's going to be a mix of genres, but romance will be one of the biggest ones (yay Tasertricks!) and also eventual smut (I mean...it's Hiddleston; how can my mind not go there?)
> 
> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!

_ **Prologue Part I** _

"_I've seen worlds you've never known about!" Loki shouted bitterly at his adoptive brother. "I have grown, _Odin's Son_, in my exile! I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it…"_

"_Who showed you this power?" Thor interrupted to ask urgently, though Loki had no intention of answering._

**~The Avengers**

* * *

Loki whisked himself away from Earth, clutching the tesseract like the lifeline that it was. He sporadically searched the galaxy for a hiding place before tucking away on a quiet planet outside the nine known realms. He planned to hide there from Heimdall's gaze - as well as Thanos's inevitable manhunt - while he plotted his next move. The brief humility he may have fleetingly felt with his capture was now replacing itself with the need to restart his plans, but it was not a strong enough desire to outweigh his sensible fear of Thanos's punishment for failure. Not to mention the fact that the Titan would be all the more savagely angered by the loss of the scepter.

The Avengers knew it would likely be a fruitless venture, but they endeavored to figure out where Loki might have gone. Banner suggested that he might have stayed hidden on Earth, using the Avengers themselves as a cover from whatever power that he had been working with. But Thor soon shot the idea down, knowing that his brother was very likely hiding in some unknown corner of the universe, as much from Heimdall as from anything else. The responsibility then fell on Thor's shoulders alone, the rest agreeing that he'd be the one that would have the best chance to find his wayward brother. Thor agreed to promptly report any news of his brother to them, and waited with Jane Foster in Tromsø for the increasingly hastened repairs of the bifrost to be completed.

Agent Coulson didn't wait long to pay them a visit and, after giving a hurried summary as to how he was still alive, strongly urged a merger of Foster's and Selvig's work with Stark. SHIELD needed to use any and all available resources to assist with the much needed research in the aftermath of losing such a reckless being as Loki. Darcy Lewis, still dragged along for the ride, had theorized with Jane herself that SHIELD probably considered Jane an ace in the hole for Thor - extra incentive to guarantee his prompt return and report of his findings. After negotiating with all parties involved, Tony agreed and allotted three apartments in his tower for Jane, her assistant Darcy, and the Norwegian scientist Erik Selvic.

With a promise to Jane to soon return, Thor left in a newly repaired bifrost bridge and searched across the nine realms for a sign of the God of Mischief. He quickly found the search to be in vain, a fact even more supported by Heimdall's admittance that he had not been able to see Loki since he snatched the Tesseract and escaped the Midgardian Avengers.

Thor quickly became caught up in the fight to restore peace among the realms, making up for lost time while the bifrost had been broken. He made a plan with Heimdall and his father that the bifrost would be sent to him immediately upon the first sight of Loki, sending Thor directly to him so he could drag him home.

A year after Loki's disappearance, the Convergence came upon the Nine Realms. Loki was finally seen by Heimdall as he unexpectedly fell through an alignment anomaly into a seen realm. Heimdall swiftly pulled Thor into the bifrost from the small battle he was fighting on Vanheim, sending him straight to Loki. No sooner had the two princes appeared on Asgard, than Heimdall saw danger for the Midgardian woman that Thor loved.

On Earth, Erik Selvig had found odd readings sourced from the London area, and asked for Jane to follow him to further research it. The usual trio left for London to chase his readings, where Darcy and Jane found a phenomenon that transported Jane to the realm where the Aether lie.

"It is the mortal woman." Heimdall told Thor now, ignoring the mischievous god in chains beside him. "She slipped from my sight, only to return to Midgard with a dark power following. She is in great danger."

Thor left immediately for Jane, and Odin had his palace guards to escort Loki to a prison cell, awaiting official sentencing until after the matter with the Dark Elves was settled. Odin himself forced the tesseract from his adopted son and placed it in the vault.

Thor soon returned to Asgard with Jane, taking her directly to the healing chambers only to find that there was nothing they could do to remove the powerful substance.

The Dark Elves' attack on Asgard was swift and unpredictable as they used the Convergence to their advantage. Frigga's murder left Thor angered and determined to strike back before Jane would be harmed as well - whether by the Aether or the Elves' hands. Odin thought differently of the situation, weakened from the loss of Frigga, and loathe to seek out the fight. His concern over Malekith getting the Aether outweighed even the many Asgardian lives at stake. Thor's desperation left him little choice but to cautiously release Loki and demand the assistance that only he could give. He needed to travel through a secret passageway in order to find the Dark Elves.

Amidst the turmoil of mistrust Thor had for his adopted brother, he would trust one thing: Loki would do anything in his power to kill all those involved with the death of their mother.

* * *

_ **Prologue Part II** _

Svartalfheim

"_What I could do with the power that flows through those veins." Loki said wistfully, looking at Jane's unconscious body._

"_It would consume you," Thor countered._

_Loki motioned towards Jane. "She's holding up alright. For now."_

"_She's strong in ways you'd never know."_

"_Say goodbye." Loki brutally advised._

"_Not this day." Thor strived to stay dismissively resolute._

"_This day, the next, a hundred years. It's nothing. It's a heartbeat. You'll never be ready. The only woman whose love you've prized will be snatched from you."_

**~Thor: The Dark World**

* * *

Loki projected the image of the Aether as if it were traveling directly from Jane to Malekith. In reality, it was traveling from Jane into the small vial that Loki had hidden on his person. He honestly did intend to return to Asgard once this ordeal was over. To figure out if it would be possible to once again feel a sense of home at all. Given that his plan would work, he could earn pardon from his punishment of imprisonment. But if not, he now had a rather formidable tool in his arsenal for a backup plan. And, either way, he knew he would make great use of such power eventually, no matter what type of reception awaited him on Asgard. How irresistable the possibilities would be.

As Thor attempted to destroy the illusion of the Aether as it hung mid-air, Loki made the projection continue to move towards Malekith. Just as the Elf leader looked as though he were about to absorb the Aether, Loki conjured his dagger and threw it at his face.

"Now, Thor!" The urgency in Loki's voice was entirely genuine; if Malekith was alive long enough to realize that there was no Aether actually entering his body, his whole plan would be ruined. He lifted the spell that feigned Thor's stumped wrist as Mjolnir came whizzing towards its master's hand.

The God of Thunder struck Malekith just as Loki's dagger was grazing the Elf's cheek, distracting him just enough to allow Thor to land an electrifying blow against his head. The Dark Elf buckled down, raising his weapon just marginally too late for Thor's second, deadly blow.

Simultaneously, the Elven warriors began attacking Loki, who stood over Jane's weakened body in defense. He knew the mortal would be dead instantly with the first strike, and a part of him actually wished to spare Thor from that pain at the moment. This caring thought seemed to fuel his fighting more than his plan for redemption would have alone.

Algrim's approach was unswift but it was steady as the monstrous beast continued to stalk towards Loki. Thor attempted to distract it from a distance with the throwing of Mjolnir. Algrim seem to decide it was more than a mere annoyance and deserved his full attention as he now turned to face Thor. Jane began to staggeringly rise to her feet, just as a wounded Elf threw his last Black Hole Grenade her way. Loki jumped with cat-like reflexes, pushing Jane out of the way just as the weapon went off. Thor had already propelled himself over at the sight of Jane in danger, arriving just in time to pull Loki out of the hole's suction. The brothers rounded on Algrim in sync as the beast neared Jane. Loki drew a spear from a fallen Elf's clutches and threw it directly through Algrim's midsection, Thor jumping high in lightning-filled glory to land a heavy blow at the same time, his hammer crushing the sizeable skull underneath the beast's helmet.

The rest of the Elves seemed to suddenly realize that both their leader and the formidable Algrim were in fact defeated, and they retreated into their ship, quickly cloaking it before heading into one of the vortexes of alignment.

After making certain that Jane was unharmed, Thor wrapped an arm around her and placed his other hand on Loki's shoulder.

"Well done, brother. We won today because of you."

Loki nodded as he caught his breath before a look of humor softened his features. "Let's just see what Father has to say about it, shall we?" He chuckled dryly as Thor gave him a tight smile.

They returned to Asgard back through the secret passageway, each apprehensive in their own way as to what would happen next.


	2. Chapter 2

The princes of Asgard were met with a mixture of welcoming relief and strained censure. Jane was accompanied to the healing chamber once more to make certain everything was back to normal, and soon Odin had everyone else but his two sons clear out from the throne room.

"You have both committed treason by sneaking towards the fight I had explicitly forbidden." Odin said sternly. He let the weight of his words hang in the air for a long moment before continuing. "However, you have effectively removed a great threat. And you," he looked at Thor. "Saved the one you loved as well. I can now say I fully understand the pain that such a loss would have brought. My own loss has weakened me in a way I have never yet known." He bowed his head gravely as he thought of Frigga. Both of his sons wore expressions that looked as somber as he felt.

"We are deeply sorry, Father," Thor responded. "For all of this. But perhaps we can start again, with peace in our family once more." Thor struggled to keep from getting his hopes up.

Odin studied them both in silence before staying his gaze towards adopted son.

"Loki, there is no way to trust one who has snuck Jotuns into my realm only to attempt to prove yourself by acting the hero against them. Nor to trust one who has recklessly sided with dark powers in order to chaotically take over the peaceful realm of Midgard."

"I'd hardly deem Midgard 'peaceful'," Loki interjected with shameless humor in his eyes.

"They are weak, and they have never attacked another realm!" Odin shot back exasperatedly. He then let out a sigh, recollecting his composure. "They may live much shorter lives than the Aesir, but they are otherwise like us. They are not beings that you can simply make pets of. Your own brother cares deeply for them. Does that truly mean nothing to you, Loki?"

The God of Mischief appeared uncharacteristically sobered as he seemed to genuinely consider the question. "Recent events have proven that it, regrettably, does mean something," he finally answered. "I can no longer deny the inherent bond I have with my brother. Trust that his best interest alone would prevent me from any further attempts against Midgard." That and the Hulk, he thought to himself.

Odin looked less than convinced, and it was then that Thor offered, "I understand your doubts, Father. I do not pretend to trust my brother entirely, nor am I sure I will ever be able to do so. But I do believe him in this. Today he risked his very life for the mortal I love. The Loki that had stormed Earth would never have done such a thing. He has learned more of himself, perhaps even grown."

Loki's expression was guarded save for the glimpse of gratitude that only Thor could have noticed. Odin pondered everything that was said for a long moment, silence broken only by the occasional distant passerby walking through the connecting hallways.

"You are both my sons." He said at last. "You have both gone against my commands in the past, but today you also proved noble and cunning with your reasoning, perhaps even saving us from great destruction. My Frigga," he seemed to pause briefly to regain strength to continue the thought. "She would wish nothing more than to see her two sons thriving together on Asgard once more. Consider yourself free for now, Loki. With conditions." Thor thought he saw his brother's shoulders relax slightly. "Guards - especially Heimdall - will be commanded to keep the closest of watchful eyes on you. And you are not to leave Asgard - through any means - until such time as I deem necessary. Thor's continuing report on your trustworthiness will greatly affect any decisions I make, and I will not hesitate to throw you in the dungeons at the first glimpse of suspicious action from you. Understood?"

Loki stood still for a moment, expression carefully blank, before giving a small nod of agreement. Thor clasped a hand on his back and smiled at their father with gratitude of the decision. Loki found that he had to fight hard to not roll his eyes and push Thor away.

Loki kept to himself in the days following, begrudgingly emerging from his chambers (though no one believed he was really staying in there, as he did not exactly require the use of his door) only at his brother's behest for a grand scale announcement.

This time he did blatantly roll his eyes as Thor showed off Jane to the gathered crowd and announced their engagement. He barely paid attention as the discussion surrounding the couple evolved to details of the wedding, and whether Jane had any guests to bring. Loki only tuned it at the mention of his own name whispered from Jane's lips.

"Since my parents are both gone and my work basically consumed much of my life," Jane was saying. "Darcy and Erik are my closest thing to family. And since...Erik's ordeal with Loki, I highly doubt he'd wish to come anywhere near him."

Loki had to smile at that, relishing the memory of the delightful power he'd had over the scientist. Why could no one appreciate what he'd shown that mortal? He could never have hoped to have such an experience in his meager lifetime. I deserve a thanks, if anything, he thought with a sigh.

Loki vaguely heard the conversation turn to what type of work Jane would do on Asgard - her excitement grew as the possibilities were being explained to her - before deciding that he'd been agreeable enough for one day, and vanished without a word.

"The death of my mother, the threat on Jane's life - it all brought much to perspective." Thor was explaining to Tony and Darcy at the bar of Stark Tower. Jane herself was currently a few floors below in Erik's apartment, engaged in a conversation he had wanted to keep private. "Even my brother…" Thor seemed to hesitate to continue the thought. "In his own way, warned me of the brevity and fragility of Jane's life and the pain it could bring me. I knew, once we'd won, that I could not ever let Jane go, not as long as she wanted me as well. I wish for her to share my life."

"Knowing your brother, I'd just as soon guess he was warning you that he was about to kill her himself." Tony bluntly commented, only half-joking.

"I do not believe you do know my brother, Tony."

Tony shrugged. "I'll take your word for it. He did only storm through here like a kid on an anthill but, sure. Guy's all heart."

Darcy chuckled dryly, immediately gravitating towards Tony's delightful sarcasm as always. "I heard he threatened Nat that he'd make Barton kill her slowly."

Tony pointed at Darcy. "Good point. That was just before calling her a mewling quim, I believe."

The two snorted darkly as Thor began to frown, expression altogether more sober than either of theirs.

"My father has recently inquired to know all the details surrounding the scepter Loki had wielded. He believes he has heard of the power of the stone it encased. Has SHIELD discovered any more regarding the nature of it?"

Tony sighed begrudgingly, as if displeased with the insistence to turn the conversation back to subjects he'd rather avoid at the moment. "Not that they tell me much, but I have gathered that it has some mind-altering powers. Hence the whole Evil Barton and Selvig."

"Did it not also appear to be fueling everyone's anger in the lab of Helicarrier?"

"Perhaps." Tony shrugged. "Emotions were also a bit elevated at the time, egos flying about and such. Who's to say."

"Just before I came back here, my father and I discussed his findings privately. He concluded that there exists a strong possibility of the power in the scepter's stone being an ancient one, like that of the Aether. It had likely twisted Loki's mind and fueled his rage."

"Jane said he was also the one who sent that giant metal thing to New Mexico," Darcy chimed in. "Ya know, leveling a good chunk of the town and trying to kill you and little things like that. He didn't have the glow stick back then, right?"

Thor shook his head soberly. "I fear I am excusing too much, but he was in bitter turmoil at the time -" he was cut short with the arrival of Jane and Erik.

"Heyyyy, buddy," Darcy called towards Erik as if she were talking to a child. "Have a drink with us?"

Erik silently shook his head, eyeing Thor as if suspicious of the words he'd overheard. Jane whispered something to him, and with a nod towards her he turned back to the elevator.

"Dude is not living his best life right now," Tony commented aloud.

"No jokes, Tony," Jane chided warningly. "Seriously not gonna fly around me where he's concerned."

Tony raised his hands in mocking surrender. "Hey, you're the boss. Actually, I'm the boss. But, you know. The sentiment is still there, right?"

"She is to become Queen of Asgard one day." Thor beamed with pride at his own counter argument.

"Ah, that. Traitor." Tony threw a wink at Jane. "Gonna get all transformed into an alien I hear too, right? Whatever. Immortality is overrated. Probably."

Darcy was now frowning at Jane, who gave a sheepish grin in return. "Yeah...you weren't here for that part," Jane said. "In order to marry the Prince of the Asgardians...I have to become Aesir." She explained as if it were a simple, everyday matter.

"Help me out a bit more, Jane."

"She's gonna eat the forbidden fruit." Tony interjected with a mockingly wide-eyed expression.

"An apple of Idunn," Thor corrected patiently, earning a snicker from Tony. "It will grant immortality. She has proven herself worthy of it after living through an encounter with the Aether, as well as facing the Dark Elves with us. Not to mention by capturing the love of the God of Thunder." He grinned.

"Dude, that's heavy!" Darcy enthused. "So you're gonna like be all super young when we're over here in our Depends forgetting our own names?" Tony gave a chuckle towards Darcy while Thor and Jane exchanged sober looks.

"Lighten up, guys." Tony said to them as he made himself another drink. "We have to mess with you a little, Jane. It's a given."

"Yeah, cuz we're jealous." Darcy admitted.

Tony shook his head. "No no, you speak for yourself. Didn't I just say immortality is overrated? As if I would say something and not mean it." He rolled his eyes.

Jane joined the three at the bar and sipped at a drink as Tony - with visible displeasure - brought up the issue of what he was going to officially inform SHIELD of in regards to Loki.

" 'Scepter was an influence' theory aside," Tony was saying with a touch of sarcasm. "I highly doubt SHIELD nor your fellow Avengers would be too thrilled to learn that the megalomaniac was freed on purpose. Myself included." He added with a meaningful look.

"He risked his life to save Jane," Thor argued. "He's clearly changed. At least enough to no longer pose a threat to Earth."

"Why, cuz Mommy died? No offense, man, but this is no time for nostalgic warm fuzzies over the guy you grew up with to cloud your judgement."

Thor was now glaring at Tony. Darcy noticed Jane slip a calming hand over his, seeming to soften his expression momentarily before he responded.

"You saw me help to capture my own brother, Tony. I was the first to muzzle him, even. No one need lecture me about the man I grew up with and have known for a millennium."

Tony raised his free hand not holding a drink. "Hey don't get all hammering-mad on me, dude. I'm just the one who's gonna have to explain all this. Not to mention the fact that we still don't know who else was behind all of last year's attack, or if they'll be back." Tony's voice grew quieter with his last statement. He refilled his scotch glass.

"I understand the frustration with that." Thor's voice was now without ire. "Whenever I should find more, you'll be the first to know. I swear it. Just as I swear I'll be here at the first sign of need."

Tony paused thoughtfully before draining most of his drink. "Alright, you win, Point Break," he finally said with a sigh. "I won't explicitly tell SHIELD that your brother is basically free-reigning it right now. Not to mention that his powers have apparently grown, from the things Jane recounted. But I will try to soften things up a bit. I'll bring up the whole scepter stone thing, and the fact that he helped you with Jane. Supposedly. Just know that my heart won't exactly be in it." Tony was noticeably trying to lighten back up, but the tension underlying his words was not lost.

Darcy glanced at Tony and then to Jane, who was looking concernedly at him before catching her gaze. They both knew that the Iron Man was still internally dealing with the attack on New York that Loki had caused, as evidenced by his eccentric creation of a bunch of drone suits, short lived as they may have been. Even with his usual consumption of self-prescribed scotch, he wasn't exactly about to be forgiving.

"Now, to the real important question..." Tony downed the rest of his drink. "When are you gonna get me another astrophysicist to do all my grunt work? First she went galavanting off to London searching for some planetary alignment thingy with Erik, only to immediately get whisked off into trouble. Now she's permanently playing house with the Norse gods. Remind me again - why'd I bother to move you guys into my tower?" He looked between Jane and Darcy, the latter of which was shrugging.

"Don't look at me," Darcy said. "Agent Coulson's idea. Probably to create a little 'checks and balance' for SHIELD to more easily keep tabs on everybody or something."

"Yeah, good ol' resurrected Coulson," Tony rolled his eyes. "A whole other can of worms. Joke's on them anyways, we get along better with each other than with them. And would have even without their little martyr scheme. Maybe." He shrugged it off.

"My apologies for stealing her for good this time, Tony," Thor interjected quickly, before the subject went too far back down a dark rabbit hole . "You'll never find a replacement for Jane!" Thor declared, pride emanating from his face again as he gave his betrothed a peck on the cheek. Jane broke from her deep thoughts over the conversation and smiled warmly at him.

"Even more importantly," Darcy cut in. "What the hell am I gonna do? Once I get back from being a royal goddess-bride's maid or whatever, I'll be an assistant with no one to assist. After all this mess I can't exactly go back to my original poli-sci path."

"Well, yeah, SHIELD will still want to keep you under their nose," Tony agreed. "You know too much to move on at this point, kiddo. Sorry." He didn't sound the least bit apologetic. "You have Jane to thank for that, mostly. Also Point Break here. But hey, at least it's some job security, right? I can always find something to keep you occupied here, Darce." He finished with some sincerity.

"Woohoo," Darcy said blandly, twirling her finger in mock celebration.

"You will love your time in Asgard, Darcy." Thor offered in an attempt to boost her spirits. "When you ladies are ready, we should depart." He seemed suddenly excited to return home.

"Fine, fine, go off to your magical Mount Olympus," Tony feigned hurt. "I'll just stay here on boring ol' Midgard, shall I?" His grin broke through his facade at Darcy's loud scoff. "Seriously, take care. 'Specially you, kiddo." Darcy glared at his second usage of the patronizing word. "Don't let any psycho scorcerers turn you into a toad or anything."

"Yes, Daddy." Darcy grinned.

"Yeah...don't let Pepper ever hear you call me that," Tony chuckled as the elevator closed them in.

Darcy gaped at the ostentatiously golden room she now stood in. She was actually surprised that anything could seem extraordinary after the exhilarating rush of being hurled through magic and space. One side was almost entirely open, looking out to the many beautiful galaxies and spatial phenomena. Looking up at the blonde god beside her to find him grinning, she let out a sound of excited awe that came across as a broken laugh.

"This is all too damn trippy, my Thunder dude." She grinned even fuller as Thor chuckled with pleasure.

"Jane's first time through the bifrost left her in similar awe. It is quite delightful to watch newcomers - we get so few chances to have any." On his other side, Jane nodded to support his comment about her, thinking also that this trip was no less amazing than the first had been.

Darcy finally noticed the giant man that appeared to guard the mystical portal. She found herself gaping at the sheer size of him, now wondering how she could have ever found Thor to be a giant when someone like this existed.

"The palace awaits you all." The giant man's voice boomed as he addressed the God of Thunder.

"Thank you, Heimdall." Thor replied as he led Darcy through the arch and onto a breathtakingly colorful bridge.

"Even this bridge is all mystical." Darcy couldn't help but gasp at the view before her. The architecture of the buildings, the ocean, the landscape. It was all too surreal.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Jane sidled between Thor and Darcy to grab her arm excitedly. Darcy was glad to see that Thor's positive energy seemed to easily rub off on her nowadays. "I'm finally not the only Midgardian. Isn't it all just...extraordinary?"

"Hell yeah! It's like Rivendell meets Naboo or some crazy thing. I can't believe it took you so long to get me here!" Darcy playfully punched Jane's arm. "Always stealing all the fun for yourself."

Jane's only response was a grin of fondness towards Darcy before the trio headed across the bridge. Darcy let out a few more appreciative comments about the new sights, but otherwise the conversation lay between the lovebirds and Darcy tuned them out until they were inside the palace walls.

And greeted with a veritable fanfare.

Darcy awkwardly smiled at everyone that approached them; most of the greetings were pointed towards Thor and some even to Jane. Darcy herself got a few polite nods, but most merely ignored her presence. Some even looked warily at her as if trying to figure out what she was.

At one point, a small bearded man's sudden gawking was enough to spur Darcy's tongue. "Hey, Beardy. Yeah, you. You wanna take a picture while you're at it?"

The man seemed to be momentarily flustered before hastening away with a clumsy nod of polite acknowledgement. Darcy smiled with satisfaction.

"Pay that simpleton no mind, milady. He was merely admiring your beauty, if not rudely so." A familiar-looking blonde man in gold armor approached her with a smug smile. Darcy mentally placed him as one of the friends of Thor's that had showed up during his first visit to Earth.

"Oh hey, you're one of the warrior dudes that helped Thor a few years ago. We sorta met."

"Indeed, you are the friend of Thor's woman. I believe he has mentioned you - Darcy, it is, correct?"

"Yep. Um, sorry, your name was…?"

"Fandral." He answered with a somewhat elaborate bow. "At your service."

"Fandral. So, is there like a party every time Thor returns? I mean, he and Jane were only gone for like a few days to go settle everything and get me."

Fandral let out a laugh that Darcy found repulsively over the top. "No, my dear, tis a rather special occasion! The official precedings to the royal wedding are to begin tonight, now that all members of the wedding party are arrived!"

Darcy nodded slowly as her full concentration went into stifling the desire to make fun of this theatrical man. "Super." Was all she said.

"Darcy, come here," Jane was whispering as she grabbed her arm to shift her to her and Thor's new spot. "Odin is coming." She explained, as if expecting those words would be enough to put Darcy in the stiff mood that Jane was now apparently in.

Darcy casually scanned the hallway before her to find a single-eyed, older man approaching as everyone made to kneel before him.

"Shit, do we really have to kneel?" Darcy whispered sideways at Jane. Jane appeared to be struggling against the need to roll her eyes as she instead gave a small shake of her head.

Thor seemed to have heard as well, and answered in a low voice. "You are the guest of honor to the royal member of honor tonight. There will be no need to kneel."

Darcy briefly wondered internally whether she would have actually done so even if she'd been told to. Odds pointed at no.

"My son - Prince Thor, God of Thunder - returns to commence the grand traditions of a royal wedding." Odin seemed to announce to everyone else as he only looked towards Thor.

When he reached them, Odin placed a hand heavily on his son's shoulder, expression prideful. "My heart feels much happiness at this time, I only but wish your mother could have seen it." He said quietly to only Thor. The two exchanged a brief but very heavy gaze with each other, and Darcy momentarily wondered if she should even be witnessing such a personal moment.

Odin finally turned to acknowledge Jane and Darcy's presence. "Lady Jane," he nodded towards her as she gave a little curtsy thing that Darcy had to hold back from laughing at. "Lady Darcy, I presume?" He looked at her with both polite acceptance and somehow a simultaneous judgmental scrutiny.

Darcy gave him a small, awkward smile along with a nod that showed much more enthusiasm than she felt. "King Odin. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this. And I really have to compliment you on your place - you have some seriously sweet digs."

Jane shook her head marginally in mild annoyance while Thor looked on with pleasant fondness towards his odd friend. Odin seemed to squint a little, as if to study Darcy a bit more, before giving her a tight smile with the smallest of acknowledging nods. Out of the corner of her eye, a raven-haired onlooker appeared to be finding amusement with the whole exchange. Darcy turned slightly to focus more on the person, eyes widening with recognition as she did so.

Well damn. There he is. The infamous Loki.

She was caught up with a sudden recollection of how New York had looked after his handiwork, how Erik had never seemed quite the same after whatever spell he'd been under. Both memories clashed with the more recent story Jane had told her - this bizarre god had put his own life on the line to save his brother and his mortal girlfriend. Much to Darcy's gratefulness.

Darcy was still warring with the decision of how to react to meeting such a person in the flesh, when Loki's smirk finally registered with her and broke her out of her reverie. He was staring at her with nothing but amused pleasure, as if he knew exactly what type of inner battle she was currently experiencing.

Darcy was never one for awkward silences, nor for too much over-thinking. In a last minute decision to just rip off the BandAid, she blurted, "So, you're the guy who tried to enslave everybody because of a 'burden of glorious purpose'?"

She didn't have to turn towards Jane to guess that she would have an amused expression. In any case, she vaguely noticed that Odin was now slowly taking Jane and Thor away towards a nearby balcony, deep in discussion.

Which left her now to be relatively alone with the God of Mischief. Who was currently studying her in an entirely different way than his adoptive father had.

"I'm always ever so pleased to meet a fan." His smirk was tauntingly conceited.

"Oh yeah, biggest fan ever. I especially love how you killed a bunch of SHIELD agents and broke New York, and turned my genius scientist friend into a loon. You're the best." Her tone was deadpan and her eyes were hooded with a glare that emphasized her sarcasm.

Loki chuckled breathily. "You are even more charming than your friend who is to be my sister."

"Please call her that. She'll love it." Darcy couldn't help but allow a half-smile with the humor of the thought.

"One could only wonder why she wouldn't, as I have proven to build nothing but the best rapport with her. Not the least factor being the time I saved her life." His grin was so self-pleased that Darcy had to chuckle.

"Yeah, she did mention that. Although she seemed more confused than grateful during her recount of it. But hey, it's a step up from pure hate, right?"

Loki seemed to study her a bit more, something like curiosity now ghosting over his expression. "Do you then not also feel hatred for me?"

Darcy wasn't sure how he had come to that possible conclusion from what she had said, but she merely shrugged and replied, "I guess I kinda figure you've mostly cancelled out at this point. Call it a neutral feeling, if you want."

Amusement was back to being Loki's only expression. "Indeed. What a boring thought, neutrality. I much think I would prefer hatred." With a grin that could only be described as wicked, he vanished.

Shaking off the encounter and the confusion that had come with it, Darcy now looked for the balcony that her friends had headed towards. She quickly headed their way, not particularly in the mood for any more surprise encounters at the moment.

"... I still fear it would not be unreasonable to expect such plans to resurface." Odin was sounding somber as Darcy approached.

Only Jane glanced her way, while Thor and Odin appeared to be deeply focused on their conversation.

"What'd I miss?" Darcy unshyly blurted out.

Thor turned to her, a frown of concern still furrowed on his face.

"We are discussing the possibility of the remaining Dark Elves returning for further destruction." Thor's voice was heavy.

"Oh. But wasn't the main problem their leader guy, who was crushed by you?" Darcy tried to recall the details of Jane's explanation.

"He was, but the Elves' retreat may only be temporary. They may return to seek vengeance, as well as the whereabouts of the Aether. It appeared to have vanished once I killed Malekith."

Darcy fell uncharacteristically silent, unsure of what to do with this new idea of a possible threat.

"We will begin preparing for any possibility once the wedding is complete," Odin continued speaking to Thor as if Darcy hadn't interrupted. "The Warriors Three along with Lady Sif shall join you and I, and your brother would help his own repore if he joined to assist with such preparations as well."

"Um, I think I could be of assistance," Jane was offering, a mix of slight and apprehension in her expression. "I did learn things about the Dark Elves through the Aether. And I was also there when everything happened, was I not?"

Odin studied her a moment before giving her a nod of agreement. Neither he nor Darcy missed the look of admiration on Thor's face.

"She is also one of the smartest people you'll meet," the Thunder God added.

"Also," Jane continued with a quick smile of appreciation towards Thor. "I have to bring up my concern about Loki being a part of this. He may have helped us once, but he is too controlled by his unsteady emotions. He could just as easily betray us if he decided it would be more beneficial for him."

Thor threw an uneasy glance at his father before addressing her. "Jane, your concerns are not unwarranted. I know that one single heroic act does not merely dissipate everything else. Believe me, my father and I are more aware than any of how untrustworthy my brother can be. But you must understand, the level of rage he brought to your realm was not entirely his own fault, and was uncharacteristic even for the God of Mischief. The power behind the scepter he wielded was likely fueling his darkest side."

"Is that what Loki told you? I'm sure he'd know exactly how to formulate a plausible seed of hope in you, knowing that you would go to great lengths to try to prove your brother was redeemable."

"He has not yet mentioned anything of it, no."

"Nor has he seemed remorseful, right?"

Thor seemed momentarily at a loss.

"My girl Jane ain't easily won over," Darcy cut in, both admiration and amusement obvious in her expression. "Not even after her own life was saved."

"No, I'm not," Jane agreed with a much more serious tone than her friend's. "Not when we're referring to someone who has betrayed even his own brother and father."

"Lady Jane, your concerns prove your wisdom." Odin stated emotionlessly. "But I know my son. Such an act towards redemption was not something to be taken lightly. My wife's death was the worst thing I've come to experience, but it brought with it a ray of hope in the form of bringing my son back to his sense of true self. He was not proving himself to us that day on Svartalfheim, but rather proving to himself his own true heart."

"He was in pain, Jane," Thor chimed in. "Before he fell into the abyss, he had learned things about himself that shocked and grieved him, and in that torment crossed paths with dark powers he could not have been prepared for. I do not wish to excuse his actions, but merely to help bring to light a full understanding of what was behind them."

Jane stayed silent, but Darcy didn't think she looked entirely convinced. The conversation between the two gods meandered back into how the Dark Elves could possibly return without the Convergence. Darcy found her attention wandering as she looked behind her inside the palace to people-watch. Or, Aesir-watch, she amended.

She soon caught sight of Loki - speak of the devil, she thought - appearing suddenly in the middle of a group in conversation, a mischievous grin on his face. The group's reaction indicated that they had not found the humor in whatever he had just done, and they turned their backs on him as he laughed in obvious pleasure with himself. Darcy couldn't help but agree with Jane's concerns, at least the part about Loki's unpredictability.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note: I can't help but think that Loki would be pretty immediately amused with Darcy's bluntness, and quickly crave her attention (he is a bit of an attention seeker anyways, after all). More of that next chapter!
> 
> Thanks for reading, and please review!


	3. Chapter 3

The feast that evening was proving to be worth the gown that Darcy had been strongly persuaded to wear. She couldn’t help but feel out of her element in the silky blue wrappings. And not that she minded showing her generous cleavage on occasion, but the low-cut neckline seemed somehow inappropriate in her current setting. Most women around her appeared to have body types more similar to Jane’s slender figure, and Darcy began to feel uncharacteristically self-conscious for a brief moment.

Until the food began to spread before them, pulling her full attention to it.

Darcy gave a look of enthusiasm towards Thor and Jane at the head of the table, the former of which was looking to be as excited as she felt at the sight of the feast. She found that her appetite had been quite deepened by inter-world travel, and now so many delicacies were within reach. Without a second thought, Darcy was digging in with a ravenousness that would rival even Thor’s during his first Earth visit. 

“Got to love a female with a healthy appetite!” A large bearded man across from her said with nothing but admiration on his face.

Darcy gave him a smile and a thumbs-up, mouth currently full and preoccupied.

“What sort of woman would take such words from Volstagg as a compliment?” Came a familiar voice.

The seat that had been empty next to the bearded man was now suddenly filled by Loki. Darcy couldn’t help but rack her brain to try to recall if she’d seen him around till now, or if that seat had even been empty before he sat in it. She wouldn’t put it past him to have whisked someone out of it on a mere whim. His expression was full of curiosity and a touch of his usual amusement, despite the insulting nature of his words. Darcy took her time swallowing before giving him a somewhat smarmy smile.

“This sort of woman, apparently. Thank you, Volstagg.” She turned pointedly to the bearded man with the warmest of grins now spreading across her face. “At least we know how to enjoy ourselves, am I right my man?”

Volstagg seemed greatly pleased with the statement from this strange mortal, and raised a goblet towards her. “Here, here!”

Darcy quickly and ungracefully raised her own in response, drinking in time with him. She noticed from the corner of her eye that Loki was studying her intently. After a good portion of her mead had been downed, she lowered her goblet and turned to throw a glare his way. 

“Ignore his quips, Lady Darcy,” came Fandral’s input from the other side of Volstagg. “You are perfectly lovely regardless, and feasting is quite expected at a feast. Besides, if Loki isn’t laughing at someone he will wither away.” Fandral’s last statement was met by several guffaws, including his own.

Darcy offered an appreciative chuckle that quickly died as she turned back to Loki, only to find his intense stare had not wavered.

“Seriously though, dude, what’s up? I can’t be _ that _ fascinating.” Darcy dismissively flipped her long dark locks.

An unreadable smile tugged one corner of his mouth. “Perhaps you are.”

Darcy was all frowns. “Not a chance. You’re up to something in that crazy mind of yours, and it’s unlikely that I’ll be thrilled about whatever it is.”

“I am?” Amusement was all over his face now. “You think yourself so perceptive, even as such a young and ignorant being, that you have already figured out the God of Mischief?”

“Pretty sure I didn’t actually say _ that _ . I’m just not particularly into your weird stares, and yeah, I _ do _ think I know at least enough to be sure that any attention from you is probably not a great thing.”

“Indeed. Perhaps you are not so ignorant.” He flashed a grin with a soft chuckle. “But in this case, I am merely passing the time. And, though I haven’t quite gotten to the level of this oaf beside as he openly leered at your chest before speaking to you, watching you _ is _ proving at least mildly entertaining.”

Darcy threw a questioning look towards Volstagg, who was now turned to Fandral and Hogun in conversation, apparently not hearing Loki’s comment. She shrugged back at Loki. “So? My girls are impressive. So, even if that’s true, I couldn’t really blame him.”

Loki let out a full laugh at this. “You are delightfully humble. Such a charming addition to crude and gluttonness.”

Darcy gave him another shrug, unaffected by his meager slights. “Kinda sad that you find those things so entertaining. Maybe you have shitty taste.” She flashed a quick smirk before continuing her feeding.

He chuckled, seeming to thoroughly enjoy her retort. “I will have to add unpredictable to the list while I’m at it.”

The smile on his face now gave Darcy her first sense of true unease since he had appeared. It was entirely unreadable and somehow decidedly insufferable at the same time.

“Anyone ever tell you that you’re kinda creepy?” She blurted, attempting to fend off the feeling that threatened to break her usual confidence. 

More soft laughter. “It’s not a particularly common phrase around here, but the basic context behind it has been mentioned my way, yes.” He tilted his head slightly as he squinted at her. “Am I truly bothering you? And here I thought you were different.”

Darcy forced her expression to appear collected. “I am definitely ‘different’. But that doesn’t mean I’m cool with that look you’ve been giving me.”

His eyebrows raised in feigned ignorance. “‘That look’? I apologize profusely if anything I’ve done has been misconstrued.” His tone was all innocence.

She had to roll her eyes at this, but inwardly she was relieved that he seemed to be lightening up a bit from his intensity. “I’m sure you are super sorry. Look, why don’t you like, have a bit of fun. _ Harmless _ fun,” she amended as a wicked grin began to tug at his lips. “Like little pranks that are entertaining and don’t leave anyone in agony or anything.”

“You really do not care for my attention at all.” He mocked a little look of hurt before chuckling. “But, as much enjoyment I am finding in causing you discomfort, your idea does have some appeal as well.”

He vanished before Darcy could fully appreciate her own mistake. Moments later, a squeal sounded from the far end of the table. She leaned up to get a look, much as everyone else was doing, to find a young woman apparently startled out of her seat, clutching at her heart as if she were about to have a heart attack. Her place at the table was intruded by a rather nasty looking snake that was slowly slithering out of her goblet. Loki suddenly appeared behind her, giving a quick jolt at her shoulder that brought another, smaller squeal out of the poor girl. His laughter seemed to turn her fright into pure hatred as she began to scold him. The man seated next to her now stood to give Loki a stern reprimand, and the God of Mischief simply rolled his eyes before disappearing, the serpent following suit. Darcy could pick out Thor’s soft laughter out of the noise around her.

“And there he goes,” Fandral was saying with a sigh. “That poor lady must be in need of comfort.” He rose and headed towards her with a look on his face that Darcy guessed was meant to appear chivalrous, but actually only seemed opportunistic.

Loki appeared back in his seat as if he’d never left, a smile of satisfaction bright on his face. “Was that what you had in mind?”

Darcy started to shake her head ‘no’, but couldn’t stop a small smile from forming in her amusement. “I guess,” she conceded finally. “It’ll do, since at least no one was actually hurt.”

“Oh come on, _ Lady _ Darcy, you must admit that changing mead into a serpent is a bit of 'harmless fun'.” Darcy didn’t miss the way he seemed to sarcastically emphasize the word ‘lady’, as if the title were too unfitting for him to use with any earnest.

“It’s probably been done to death.” She shrugged. 

“Ha!” Volstagg was suddenly laughing drunkenly, directly looking towards Loki’s face. “The lady does not find you amusing! You failed!”

“My own amusement was my reward, you buffoon.” Loki retorted. Volstagg was ignoring him though as he reached for his third and fourth helpings of dark meat.

“You have so many fans around here,” Darcy quipped towards Loki.

“I have no use for ‘fans’.” Loki sounded much too sneering for how light Darcy’s joke had been.

Darcy couldn’t help but press further, suddenly delighted that she had struck a nerve. “You sure? I mean, all of your theatrics and attention-seeking behavior point to otherwise. You’re like, _ constantly _ striving to get some fan worship.”

Loki briefly scowled before giving her a half-smile of appreciation. “The worship part may not be entirely inaccurate.” 

Darcy couldn’t help but shiver a little at his wicked tone.

All conversation was brought to a halt as Odin stood to close the feast off with another quick speech about the significance of the celebratory commencement that the night held. Loki had vanished before the first word was uttered, and the dinner seemed suddenly boring with his absence. At the first sign of the evening winding down, Darcy decided to head for her chambers with the idea of a nice bath.

_ That ornate tub in there looked promising! _ She mused as her excitement grew. _ I bet I could even find some magical bath bomb or something. I deserve it; I have beyond jet-lag. _

No sooner had Darcy unlaced her silky bodice - _ man these things are a pain, _ she thought bitterly - than a certain mischievous god appeared on her bed, casually laying on his back with his hands folded underneath his head. She jumped a little at the suddenness of it, not missing the downwards flicker of his eyes as she did so.

“You _ that _bored with your own devices already?” Darcy’s tone was full of exasperation as she hastily started re-doing her lacings. She threw him a glare as he chuckled at her uncomfortable scramblings.

“I never would have taken you to be such a modest woman,” he goaded. 

“I never took _ you _ for a sneaky perv,” she shot back. “Well, aside from the sneaky part,” she corrected quickly. 

Loki chuckled in full enjoyment. “Surely you don’t think I would have actually made myself visible were that the case.” Darcy had to suppress a shiver at the thought.

“So are you bored with world domination, or have you given up on failed dreams to pursue snake pranks and harrassing mortal guests?” Her annoyance was not even slightly relieved by the playful banter, so she went for the jugular mentioning failed dreams, in the hopes that he’d leave her alone for good.

Loki’s amusement vanished, but seemed otherwise unbothered as he slowly shifted, propped up on his elbows. “Perhaps all of my schemes have become so easy for me that I have more time to spare in which to harass said mortal.”

Darcy refused to let his burning gaze falter her own steady glare. “Are you planning on ruining Thor’s wedding celebrations?” She asked bluntly as the thought crossed her mind. Amongst many other likely things he could possibly be up to.

Loki gave a dry, humorless laugh. “No, I think I’ve done the interfering with my brother idea ‘to death’, as you would say. He is still absolutely unbearable at times,” his voice seemed to momentarily steep with anger at the thought. “But I believe I have come to terms with accepting him as my brother. For the most part.” His gaze seemed to wonder beyond the room around them as a wry smile curled his lips.

Why this mercurial being was appearing to confess his feelings was beyond her, but regardless, Darcy still found herself hoping that he was being honest about his acceptance of Thor. She had seen enough of the lovable Thunder God’s pain from the betrayals of his cruel brother.

“I hope you’re serious about that,” she voiced aloud. 

Loki seemed to snap out of his own thoughts to realize what she was saying. “No way to know for sure, is there?” The characteristically mischievous grin was back on his face. 

Darcy let out an impatient sigh as she realized he was no closer to leaving. “Okey dokey, Loki. Let’s get moving on the disappearing part right quick, because I got some relaxing to do and you’re weirding me out.”

“But your bed is ever so comfortable.” He flopped back onto his back with a chortle. 

Darcy let out an annoyed groan as she attempted to pull him by his forearm. Loki didn’t budge, looking at her as if she were the oddest creature he’d ever seen.

“Come _ on _! Aren’t you getting bored with this bugging me bullshit yet?” She continued to tug from higher up on his arm, tightening her grip even though her efforts were obviously useless.

Loki’s shift from relaxed to tense was too fast for Darcy to register. Suddenly his other hand was on her wrist, gripping just tight enough to start to hurt. His eyes flashed with pure warning.

“You will refrain from touching me, _ mortal _.” His tone had shifted as much as everything else about him, causing Darcy to momentarily consider the possibility that he had some sort of Asgardian bipolar syndrome. She released his arm immediately, now frowning in full confusion.

He seemed to study her a moment, only marginally loosening the tightness of his grip on her wrist. Then he was pulling her down until she was forced to lean over him. She could feel his steady breaths against her face.

“You complacently let go, yet I see no real fear in your eyes.” His statement was void of any of the earlier playfulness or of his burst of anger. He simply seemed intrigued. “You are either the most foolish of mortals or the bravest.”

Darcy wasn’t sure she’d agree that she was _ completely _ without fear at the moment, yet informing him of that didn’t seem like the best idea right then. Mostly she felt confused, perhaps even a little intoxicated. A quiet voice in the back of her mind seemed to be telling her to stay that close to him, and Darcy strained away from him with instinctive rejection of her own thought. Her own brain was now freaking her out more than he had.

Loki released her as she struggled to stand back up, still eyeing her as if searching for something.

“Maybe I’m a little of both.” Darcy finally decided to respond in an effort to alleviate the sudden tension he had caused. He breathed a chuckle in response before disappearing, the smallest of grins ghosting his expression.

Darcy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. She slumped face-down onto the bed, refusing to acknowledge that it now seemed to smell very pleasantly masculine. She turned over to sloppily remove her dress, not caring that it was now crumpling onto the floor. She forced herself to let exhaustion overcome any strange lingering thoughts of how unexpected her internal reaction had been to being that close to the God of Mischief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of a shorter chapter, but the next will be posted very soon. Like, maybe even later today or tomorrow. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

The next day brought the commencement of wedding traditions. Traditions which, Darcy realized, were altogether archaic and Viking-like. After breakfast, everyone in the wedding party gathered to see Thor off to the bifrost. He was apparently supposed to venture out and find the weapon of an ancestor, returning with it to symbolize generational rebirth. Or something like that. Darcy couldn’t really pay full attention when the Norse dudes started rattling off about such things. Much to her displeasure, no one moved to disperse even after Thor had propelled himself into flight across the bridge.

“Are we like...supposed to wait here?” Darcy whispered to Jane.

“Yeah, apparently we have to wait with bated breath for his play-by-play description of what happened when he gets back,” Jane answered wryly with a grin. “I know it’s unusual, but symbolism is kind of important to these people. Besides, it’s Thor - I’m sure this isn’t going to take that long.”

Jane had been correct in her assumption, and Thor soon returned with a rusty looking broadsword. He raised it triumphantly as he took Jane into his other arm and planted a big smooch. They were both smiling so besottedly that Darcy couldn’t decide whether it was nauseating or adorable.

“How utterly nauseating,” Loki voiced one of the ideas as he appeared suddenly behind her. 

“They are happy,” Darcy loyally defended. “I know that’s not something you would be expected to get.” She turned slightly so that he could catch a glimpse of her displeasure.

Loki gave a soft chuckle. Darcy had mixed feelings about the way his breath felt against her neck. “So then all Midgardians are so easily won over by the sort of simple sentimentality that my brother exudes?”

Darcy rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see the gesture. “I wouldn’t say that. The point is that the two of them clearly make each other happy. I know you’re all dark and broody n’ all, but don’t you care about your brother enough to at least be sorta glad he’s happy?”

No answer. 

Darcy let out a small sigh and was shaking her head in disapproval when the next announcement started. She couldn’t help but wonder if most of the explanatory segways were for only hers and Jane’s benefit, since surely the Aesir knew everything that was going on already. Both Thor and Jane were now to throw the old sword into the ceiling of the throne room. Darcy was torn between yelling out ‘um yeah, Midgardian, remember? how the hell could Jane do that?’ and wanting to watch what possibilities could come from this. She chose to stay silent. The tradition was briefly explained as being symbolic of the duration of the couple’s prosperity; the depth that each sword reached would prove their individual commitment. She was pretty sure that’s what was said.

Thor’s own sword-throw was launched dramatically, sinking into the high ceiling with a dull tearing sound until it was buried to the hilt. By everyone’s cheers and Thor’s pleased grin, Darcy guessed that was about the best result that could be expected. He was still grinning as his hammer propelled himself off the ground to go retrieve the sword for Jane’s turn.

Jane looked visibly nervous as she asked what exactly she would have to do. The nervousness only seemed to increase as Loki sidled next to her to reassure her that it would work. With one last frowning glance towards him, Jane finally did her best to launch the sword upwards. Darcy didn’t miss the sly look on Loki’s face as the sword pierced all the way through the ceiling, crashing loudly and drawing several startled screeches from a few people. It took the shocked onlookers only a moment before they were all looking disapprovingly at the God of Mischief, who was now wearing an almost laughably innocent expression.

After a moment of murmuring and more frowns thrown towards Loki, everyone in the wedding party seemed to decide that the result would stand, especially after Thor’s behest that Jane shouldn’t be expected to make up for his brother’s mischief. The group was still chatting about it as they slowly headed towards the garden. Darcy held back.

“Hey, what was that for?” She nudged Loki, who was still looking at the small hole in the ceiling with nothing but pride.

He shrugged. “A bit of fun. And a touch of humiliation for Thor from the fact that his mortal bride has beaten his own throw. Magically caused or not, it still happened that way, and will be recorded as such.”

“Mhm. All I saw was you helping out said mortal bride. That grinch heart of yours just grew a bit, didn’t it?” Darcy gave him a wry look.

Loki frowned, both with confusion and displeasure at her words. “The only thing that’s growing is your peculiarity. But if good intentions are the only way you can explain my actions, far be it from me to take that away from you.” His expression changed into a smirk as Darcy shook her head exasperatedly.

The garden was adorned with ornate tables and jeweled chairs under intricately carved gazebo-like structures. Wines and fruits were scattered along the tables. 

Darcy felt a large nudge and looked up to find Volstagg grinning with excitement. “Food and spirits all week long, eh Lady Darcy?” He seemed to almost hustle towards the closest table, and Darcy couldn’t help but feel fondness towards the oddly simple god.

“Brother, come share our family’s toast to the smooth success of today’s traditions!” Thor’s invite seemed to leave Loki looking quite strained with the whole situation. He finally conjured his own goblet and raised a quick cheer in Thor’s direction, quickly draining it once he brought it to his lips. He dropped the cup when finished, vanishing it just before it hit the ground.

“Maybe you should have kept that to refill,” Darcy teased. “You look like you could use more. Man, happy times are super stressful for you, aren’t they?”

“I make do,” he gave her a wry half-smile. “I usually just fill the time with tricks and internal schemings.”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it - you’re still super scary.” She grinned as she made her way to try out the exotic looking fruit, ignorant to the way he was still eyeing her as she did so.

“You know Loki, perhaps you should leave the wooing of maidens to your brother and I,” Fandral taunted as he approached.

“For once we must agree.” Loki responded calmly. “Such a repulsively worthless use of time and effort would only be becoming of two oafs such as yourselves. It is decidedly beneath me.”

“Such an easy excuse to toss out,” Fandral chuckled. “Absolving you of any admittance that you might fail if you tried.”

Fandral closed in on him, stopping just close enough to start to seem instigating. Loki knew he was trying to rile him into violence, but instead, he merely snickered.

“If you’re referring to that maiden specifically,” Loki gave a short nod in Darcy’s direction. “Please, be my guest and commence your usual routine. I have serious doubts that this one will fall for them, however.” A smile ghosted over his face briefly.

“Why, because she’d fall for you instead? You with your underhanded tricks and pathetic jealousy over your brother? Not to mention your repulsive appearance…” Fandral was fully sneering now, cut short by Darcy now approaching and effectively interrupting.

“Whoa, dude, maybe back off just a little?” Darcy seemed only mildly censuring, but it was still enough to apparently bewilder Fandral. “I mean, yeah, this guy probably has worse coming to him really, but at least not at this exact moment.” 

“Lady Darcy, forgive me of my uncharacteristic harshness.” Loki rolled his eyes at Fandral’s instant shift in tone. “But, you are not truly defending this weasel, surely?”

Darcy shrugged and suppressed the urge to jokingly blurt ‘don’t call me Shirley!’. 

“I dunno, I guess technically it sounded like I was. Mostly my point was that I didn’t think starting a fight would be appropriate right now. But hey, I’m new here - maybe that’s part of all these traditions?”

Only Loki seemed to catch her sarcasm, an amused smile tugging at his lips. Fandral still merely frowned with befuddled disappointment in this situation.

“It may not be the best time, I’ll grant you.” Fandral gave an awkward bowing gesture. “You have proven ever so thoughtful, Lady Darcy.” He slowly turned and made his way back over to his usual companions, confusion still not fully gone from his expression.

“That dude was starting to seem kinda douchey,” Darcy observed, mostly to herself.

“That is a derogatory Midgard term, is it not?” Loki sounded pleased.

“Oh totally.” She couldn’t help but feel a bit of pride that she seemed to be cheering him up, so she spontaneously decided to push her own luck. “And don’t listen to him - not that you would, but...you’re definitely not repulsive. Not outwardly at least,” she quickly threw in the jab to clarify, as well as to dial down the compliment that was beginning to form. She clenched her teeth with apprehension as she watched Loki seem to fall dangerously still.

“Are you attempting to flatter me?” He raised an eyebrow as he met her gaze.

“Nope. Just countering misinformation, if you will.” Darcy hoped to God - gods? - that she was not visibly blushing. She tried - and quickly failed - to not recall the unexpected way she had felt the night before as his hand held her wrist and pulled her close. Shit, good job, Darce, she chided herself. I’m definitely blushing now.

Loki was looking at her as if her head had spontaneously changed shape. He shook his head as though he were giving up on figuring her out. “Truly odd,” he muttered before walking away from her.

Social-making and over-the-top laughter seemed to drag on amongst those in the garden, and Darcy found herself mostly Aesir-watching yet again. Finally, people seemed to be dispersing, and Jane caught Darcy and began walking back towards the palace with her, arm in arm.

“So tonight is going to be the opening feast of ‘segregation’.” Jane laughed at Darcy’s exaggerated look of bewilderment. “It’s not called that, but essentially that’s what it sounds like. Over the next twenty-four hours, the immediate members of the wedding party are separating into groups of women and men. Tonight, a long table will have women on one side and the men on the other. And also, any couples will be sleeping separately. Tomorrow will be entirely separated activities, including some sort of race to dinner.” Jane chuckled and shrugged. “Could be fun.”

“These traditions are ridiculous. How do these people do all this after so many centuries of weddings?” Darcy couldn’t help but let a little whine seep into her tone.

“Royal weddings are actually few and far between. They don’t do the whole hoopla for everyone.”

“Guess I can only blame you, then.” Darcy grinned. “You just had to fall for the damned prince.” They both chuckled.

“You’re gonna blame me even more. We all have to start getting ready together now.”

“What? It’s a bit early. And what do you mean...together? Like, a bunch of goddesses getting their perfect selves even more perfect while I struggle into another ridiculous Grecian gown?”

Jane was nodding with poorly hidden amusement before laughing again. “Oh come on, if I can get used to their clothing, then so can you. Although, I will admit, I’ve already started planning to ease into more ‘Midgardian-esque’ wardrobes once everything is settled here.”

“Too bad you hadn’t already started that trend, then I wouldn’t have to put up with all of this.” Darcy teased. 

They entered a giant and unsurprisingly ostentatious dressing room, and Darcy had to wonder whether it was only used for big royal bridal parties, or if it was usually empty most of the time. As advanced as the Aesir seemed, they did seem to have some over-the-top - if not fully wasteful - characteristics.

“The ladies in waiting will be here shortly to help with hair and such,” one woman was announcing while only looking toward Jane. “For now, I’ve been told the wardrobe was fully stocked with quite a variety for us all to select from. Except yours,” she addressed only Jane. “Yours is, of course, to stand out.”

The lady theatrically pulled a silvery dress from the wardrobe and presented it to Jane. Darcy had to stifle a laugh at Jane’s carefully polite expression.

Everyone helped Jane dress, after many failed protests from Jane herself. Darcy hung back from lacing or pulling anything on, mostly only offering a few snide looks at Jane here and there. She stayed behind to whisper some sarcastic jokes to her as the rest rushed over to the wardrobe.

Everyone but Lady Sif, that is. Darcy cut her current comment short as she realized the warrior goddess was now watching them intently.

“What’s up?” Darcy asked with a boldness that nearly startled her.

“My dress was already chosen, and will be the only one with a breastplate,” Sif answered simply. “Everyone already knows that, so I have no reason to rush to claim it.” Darcy and Jane both raised their eyebrows, still waiting for the explanation of why she was just staring. “And,” Sif finally continued at their silent prodding. “I wished to personally congratulate Lady Jane on the wedding.” She sounded so strained that Darcy wondered if she was somehow being forced to say it.

“Oh, well, thank you,” Jane returned awkwardly, not missing Sif’s apparent struggle either. 

Darcy waited until the last minute to begrudgingly look through the wardrobe, half-heartedly grabbing a violet off-shoulder dress that seemed at least a little more simple than the rest. Once the ladies in waiting - did they seriously have to call them that? - began all the primpings, Darcy slowly started to admit internally that she was starting to enjoy it.

Other than the seating arrangement, the feast seemed pretty similar to the prior night’s. Jane and Darcy sat next to each other across from Thor and Loki, and Darcy couldn’t help but enjoy watching the pained look on Loki’s face as he begrudgingly seated himself.

It only took a moment before Darcy gave in to her urge to repay him for last night’s harassment.

“Hey you,” she threw a roll at him brashly, fully pleased with the smoldering glare she earned. “Do you seriously never eat?”

Thor clapped his brother on his back, only to receive a glare of his own. The God of Thunder seemed unaffected by the look, still grinning as he said, “My brother has always preferred eating on his own time. Large feasts are usually avoided at all costs, right brother?” Loki merely continued his glare. Thor gave another hard pat. “But he is sticking it out for me this week! I am so honored.” 

Darcy laughed, as pleased with Thor’s subtle sarcasm as she was with Loki’s pique. 

Loki’s expression shifted from annoyed to amused as a mischievous idea seemed to occur to him. “Of course I couldn’t miss such an opportunity to share in your nuptial celebrations, brother. No one ever expected such a thing to even come to pass, what with how fast you seemed to go through so many prospective mates.” Loki’s grin was so self-satisfied that Darcy had to hold back her own amusement just to prevent him any further satisfaction. Well, mostly held it back.

Jane’s eyebrows were shooting so far up they almost met her hairline. She gave a look towards Thor that could only be interpreted as ‘is that so?’, and the Thunder God blushed so deeply that he matched his cape.

“Jane, he’s...he’s joking! Surely you know how Loki is.” He gave a nervous chuckle.

“He is indeed,” Sif was declaring from the other side of Jane. “Loki is only jealous of Thor’s admirers. Whom Thor treated with nothing but honorable respect, I might add. Pay the weasel no mind.” 

Loki smirked with obvious amusement. “Of course. I am ever so envious of dim-witted maidens in search of nothing but a crown.”

Thor’s fist crashed onto the table. “Enough! You take care not to insinuate anything about my Jane…”

“Heavens no,” Loki chuckled as he cut Thor’s angry warning short. “She has more wits than all the rest combined.” 

Sif looked as though she were about to escalate the issue, and Darcy decided to intervene with lighter humor. “Hey, look at that, Jane - the dude who usually only gives insults actually gave you a compliment. Hurray, you’re officially welcome into the family!” 

Jane seemed unmoved, still slightly glaring at Thor. Sif seemed to be sizing Jane up now.

“A clever lady, indeed,” the warrioress began, now almost squinting at Jane. “Enough to so quickly sweep the God of Thunder himself off his feet.”

“Actually, I was kinda the one who did that,” Darcy continued to attempt to lighten the weird tension. “Literally. With a van. Before tasing him.”

The contrast of Sif’s displeased incredulity and Loki’s amused surprise was laughable. Darcy allowed herself to briefly revel in it before the inevitable censure starting coming out of Sif.

“You attacked the Prince of Asgard?” Sif was cut off from furthering her accusation by Thor’s own laugh.

“Lady Sif, do not be troubled. The first was an accident, and the tasing...well, less so, but it was, in hindsight, nothing really. A good laugh between friends now, right Darcy?” Thor nodded with a grin towards her. Loki looked mildly disappointed that the encounter had not been more seriously violent.

“He was also not technically the Prince of Asgard at the time.” Loki seemed to decide more goading towards Sif was required. “Odin had just banished him, if I remember correctly.”

Thor’s grin faltered a little at that, while Sif seemed to spontaneously combust. Jane lowered her head into her hand.

“Because you talked him into starting a fight in Jotunheim, Silvertongue! And tattled to the guard about it!” Sif’s voice rose dangerously.

“This is all in the past, and we shall not talk of it.” Thor’s voice suddenly boomed with an authoritative tone that Darcy rarely heard from him.

Sif gave Loki one last glare before turning away, trying now to chime in with the conversation the Warriors were having on the other side of Thor. For a moment, the original foursome fell silent as they ate and drank. Until Darcy proved her usual lack of verbal filter by voicing the fact that things had grown awkward.

“Seriously, Darcy,” Jane groaned in response. “Not everything needs a commentary.”

“True. But this did. Just because Xena over there had to get her feathers ruffled.” Darcy thought she noticed Sif glance over from her conversation at her comment. 

“She’s just defending Thor,” Jane whispered.

“Indeed,” Loki chimed. “One might wonder why she would feel such a need to defend against his own betrothed, however.” His grin turned smug as Sif turned her full attention back towards him now.

“You would never understand, having no loyal bones in your body,” Sif retorted before standing to take leave.

“Loki, there was no need to antagonize her,” Thor chided.

“But, it’s Loki,” Darcy stated matter-of-factly. “Of course there’s need. You have known him for like, centuries right?” Thor looked somewhat defeated at her statement, and Loki flashed her an unreadable grin that caused her immediate uneasiness.

That was almost...sexy, Darcy’s thought surfaced and threatened to break through her already weak verbal filter. Shit, no more wine for me. She was momentarily forced to worry about what her expression had just looked like, as she noticed that all three of them were now staring at her with varied looks of puzzlement. 

“Are you unwell, Darcy?” Thor asked with genuine concern. “This wine is no stronger than last night’s mead, but you do appear to be rather flushed. Perhaps you have had too much?”

If anyone else had worded the suggestion in such a way, Darcy would have smacked them. But she knew Thor had nothing but good intentions. Jane, however, was now eyeing her friend somewhat suspiciously.

“I’m good, my dude,” Darcy kept her tone casual, unwilling to show how bothered she was by her own blush. “But yeah, maybe I have had more tonight.” She gave a little shrug. 

Thor merely grinned and raised his goblet towards her in a cheersing before having more himself. Jane was still looking unconvinced. As was, to Darcy’s even more severe chagrin, Loki. 

As Thor engaged Jane into discussing more details of the plans for tomorrow, Loki whispered to Darcy, “You’ve had less to drink tonight, if anything.” His eyes seemed to search her for the truth, sinking Darcy into even further unease.

“I’ve also had less food. I dunno how it works with Aesir folk, but us Earthlings tend to get more schnockered the emptier our stomachs are.” The logic behind her reasoning was sound, but Darcy knew it was see-through, since she still had been obviously eating, albeit less than the previous night.

Darcy found an unexpected reprieve from Loki’s scrutinizing stare in the form of Sif. She had returned promptly and was now leaning next to Darcy to whisper, “May we speak a moment?” 

Darcy nodded and gladly left the table to walk down the large adjoining corridor with her. She had no way of knowing that Loki was still watching.

~~

What care I for the low intellect behind mortal whims? She merely baffles because she’s so far beneath me, Loki chided himself internally for studying Darcy so intently. Despite his own self-scolding, he found himself choosing to vanish from the table to invisibly follow the two women. Running a hand through his hair in frustration with himself, he shook his irksome thoughts off and decided to chalk it up to mere desire for mischievous distraction. 

“...and I merely wished to discover more of this Midgardian who has so captivated my oldest friend,” Sif seemed to be reassuring Darcy.

“I mean, I totally get curiosity about friends’ new squeezes. But you were definitely straight up suspicious of Jane. All jealous-like and what not.”

Loki couldn’t help but smile at Darcy not only calling Sif out on her own pathetic excuse, but also of her fancy for Thor. Until now, Loki himself had been the only one to voice that suspicion. Of course, it had been more tauntingly done than the matter-of-fact tone Darcy now used, but still. Credit where credit is due.

Sif seemed to square her shoulders as she came to a stop from their slow stroll, now looking down with ire at the shorter girl before her. “Lady Darcy, I assure you I have no inherent ill will towards your friend. If she is truly worthy, and makes Prince Thor happy in a fulfilling way, then she has my utmost respect.”

“For sure,” Darcy seemed more bored with the subject than actually convinced. “It’s all good either way, Lady Sif. As long as you don’t like, beat up my friend or something, there’s seriously no issue here.”

Sif relaxed marginally. “Good, then. I am glad I sought clarification of your earlier remark, and settled the matter.” She reached a hand towards Darcy for a shake of comradery. Darcy awkwardly fist-bumped it with a humored look on her face.

“Totes. You should get back to your warrior dudes now; I have a feeling you’re like the glue that holds them in place from mayhem. Especially that Volstagg guy.”

A small smile passed over Sif as she nodded in agreement, seeming to enjoy the acknowledging - if not bizarrely worded - compliment. When she turned to leave, Loki momentarily considered showing himself suddenly for the sheer fun of watching Darcy startle, but held back as Jane now came into view.

“Darcy!” Jane called out a sharp whisper as she neared her. “What was that all about? Why did Sif steal you away?”

“Oh you know, girl talk. Hair products, makeup tips.” Darcy grinned with pleasure as Jane rolled her eyes impatiently.

“Come on, though, that was kind of odd. She doesn’t strike me as the type who would usually just want to casually stroll with a newcomer. And she seemed so upset just moments ago.”

“She was all put-off by my sarcasm earlier.”

“Oh God, I knew she’d be offended. Darcy, why can’t you keep some things inside? This is a royal wedding celebration - doesn’t that inspire the need for best behavior at all?”

Darcy seemed to consider the thought for a moment before shrugging. “Apparently not. Hey, calm down,” she gingerly put a hand on Jane’s shoulder in an effort to still her. “It’s all going to be fine. You’re literally the love of the prized Prince of Asgard’s freakishly long life. I seriously doubt a crass-mouthed friend is going to dampen that honor whatsoever.” Jane gave a look of annoyance before smiling fondly, seeming to relax. “Besides, the damned God of Mischief grew up here," Darcy continued. "I highly doubt I can do or say anything that would be super surprising to anyone.”

Jane’s smile dropped at the mention of Loki. Much to said god’s enjoyment.

“Speaking of him,” Jane’s voice seemed to suddenly drip with wariness. “I’ve noticed that you two...seem a bit attentive of each other. You should probably hold off from talking to Loki at all, honestly. If you muster any self control while your here, channel it towards refraining from that. I’m serious, Darcy,” she added as Darcy rolled her eyes dismissively. “He is beyond unpredictable. How can you feel so casual around the man who messed up Erik’s mind? Among many other things.” Jane let the weight of her words hang in the air, a part of her pleased that Darcy finally seemed to be growing uneasy.

“Not too crazy about you bringing that up - as if I could forget. But the stone thingy in his scepter was very likely messing with Loki, remember? Don’t worry,” she held up her hands as Jane looked suddenly ready to give a stern lecture her way. “I know that at least a good chunk of everything he did came from his own messed-up angst. But seriously, Jane, how dangerous could the guy be after risking himself to save you and Thor from those freaky elf things? Not to mention, your hunky Thunder God is right here to save the day should any ‘mischief’ start to go too far.” Darcy shrugged. “I guess I just can’t feel super scared under those conditions.”

Jane was looking at her friend as if she had just sprouted horns. “I guess,” she slowly said, still eyeing Darcy suspiciously. “But all that aside, I still can’t even begin to understand why you would even want to socialize with the creep. It’s as if you enjoy it.”

Loki studied Darcy’s face intently as she visibly seemed to grow uneasy in an entirely different way. He almost missed the sight in its brevity before she returned to her normal nonchalance.

“He’s damned entertaining, you can’t deny that.” She gave another shrug to emphasize the casualness she tried to portray. “He gives me amusement in otherwise boringly stiff situations.”

Loki's lips formed a little half-smile, unsure whether or not to be insulted or pleased at the idea of being lowered to the rank of entertainer to this mortal girl. The pleasure part of it stayed strong, however, at the sight of Jane’s unease with Darcy’s declaration.

“Darcy...do you…I mean...you blushed at him a little at dinner...” she seemed unable to quite form the question that was building in her mind. She was all frowns and concern.

“What, dude? Spill it.” Darcy’s prodding made Jane let out a little sigh of defeat.

“You don’t...like him, or something, right? I mean...your interaction and whatever is just a temporary distraction for your stay for sure?”

Amusement was the only thing Darcy allowed herself to show before she responded. “You seriously just said ‘like’ him, as if we were in middle school right now. Are you gonna tell his friends that my friends said I might have a crush on him?”

Darcy giggled at her own joke as Jane rolled her eyes. Loki was stuck on the puzzling term ‘crush’.

“I am serious, though, Darcy. Sorry if I can’t find the precise wording for you at the moment, smartass.” Jane gave her a playful nudge. “But I’m pretty sure you know what my concern is. You’ve always been a bit...unorthodox in your tastes. But forming an attraction for Loki is another level entirely - an altogether unwise level, at best.”

Loki raised an eyebrow at the unexpected clarification. ‘Crush’ means attraction? And this imbecilic woman of Thor’s is fretting over such an unimportant concern? If anyone could see him - which they couldn’t have - they would have witnessed Loki in a rare form of confusion and surprise.

“First of all, you’re really not one to talk about bizarre hookups, Ms. ‘I fell in love almost instantly to the Thunder God of legend’. Second of all, since when does finding someone amusing equal attraction?”

“It doesn’t,” Jane conceded, ignoring the first statement altogether. “But I know you well enough to notice differences with your usual banter and your flirtatious ones.” 

It was Darcy’s turn to roll her eyes. “Ok, just to humor you, even if I was thinking that way at all, I’m not as stupid as I sometimes might seem. He might be occasionally sexy in some ways - oh calm down!” she added exasperatedly at Jane’s eye-bulging expression. “But I’m a big girl, and I can quite easily ignore whatever brief draw that might cause.”

Jane let out an exasperated sigh. “Fuck, Darcy!” She seemed to yell even in her whisper, still attempting to not draw any attention towards them. “You even remotely conceding that I was right can only mean that I’m more correct than I even realized. God, I wish I hadn’t even voiced the suspicion. I really didn’t want to know this.” Jane shuddered.

Darcy took her friend firmly by both shoulders, as if to shake sense into her. “Jane, hello! Asgard to Jane! You are seriously just freaking your own self out at this point. I literally just said I’m totally fine and totally not stupid. Please let this go, you are making a mountain out of a nothing.”

Jane stilled, throwing one last glare towards Darcy before taking a deep breath and deciding to give the failed conversation a rest. “Fine. I hope it really is nothing. Just be careful, Darcy.” She gave an awkward pat on Darcy’s arm before turning to head back towards the dining hall.

Darcy stood in place for a moment, seeming to ponder everything, before turning the opposite direction with the spontaneous decision to go to her chambers. She couldn’t have known that the object of her thoughts was currently following her, nor that she had caused yet a second rare expression of puzzlement on his face.

This strange mortal desires me? He mused as he invisibly trailed said mortal. 

He had to admit that finding someone he couldn’t readily read was refreshing, if not also a bit infuriating. Not only had he not really noticed the apparent attraction from this girl, but the idea was made all the more baffling by the fact that he had recently attempted to dominate her race. Not to mention that he had essentially taken over the mind of one of her friends. Her matter-of-fact way of explaining away those events to Jane had only further surprised Loki; she seemed simultaneously logical and forgiving, neither of which were traits he had come to expect from Midgardians, let alone at the same time. 

Loki’s train of thought brought him to the casual wonderment of whether he desired her. Had his own preoccupation with how baffling the girl was actually been rooted in attraction?

Though it was never something he’d admit aloud, Loki had to at least admit to himself that it had been a while since he’d pursued sexual pleasure. Centuries on Asgard as a prince - a silver-tongued one at that - had been quite fruitful in that regard. Not to mention the occasional secret trip to other realms as said silver-tongued prince. But his time learning about the tesseract had brought an obsession with vengeance and power, one that was all the more fueled once the scepter had been presented to him. After that had been in his possession, nothing was left in him but lust for power and violent rage; Darcy had been correct in both her assumptions - that the stone had greatly magnified those traits in him, and also that he had been largely acting on his own unresolved anger. And since then, since his narrow escape from the Avengers, he had spent his time either entirely solo or, of course, helping Thor. And, more recently, studying the Aether.

She does have rather ravishing qualities, he now confessed internally. On more than one occasion, he had shamelessly lingered his gaze on her body to appreciate her voluptuous curves. And though he was usually trying to make sense of her words when he’d studied her face, a part of him had also noticed the appeal of her full lips and lively blue eyes. Her sarcastic wit and refreshing oddness were certainly amusing, if not also attractive in a unique way. 

And then there’s the absolutely intriguing possibilities that lie with taking advantage of her desires, he thought with a grin spreading across his face. How it would rankle with Thor’s annoying woman, and likely with Thor himself as well. And seduction always had such potential for self-serving manipulation.

Loki followed Darcy all the way to her door, still shrouded by his magic. He looked on as she leaned against the door hesitantly, appearing to be thinking about something that made her uneasy. He allowed his wicked chuckle to be heard as he momentarily decided to make her even more uneasy.

Darcy jumped a little (with a delightful bounce that Loki couldn’t help but notice) and scanned the dimly lit corridor frantically for the source of the sound. Just as a frown began to crease her brow, Loki unveiled himself. Her startled gasp gave him an absolutely savage grin.

“Dude, what the hell! Don’t do that shit!” She beratingly yelled as she smacked his arm with more power than she’d usually use for a mild chide.

Loki watched amusedly as her hand landed ineffectively against him before returning his gaze toward to her face. His eyes were brightly lit with excited enjoyment.

“I can’t make any promises that I won’t,” he replied. “Especially since the sight of you when startled is exquisitely enticing.” He gave a dark grin with his statement.

Darcy was now fully frowning at him as she eyed him suspiciously. “Ok weirdo, what do you want?” 

Loki took full pleasure in her suspicious expression. “A generally smart thing to wonder of me, but in this case I’d rather hoped we could address what it is that you want.”

Darcy looked at him as if he were crazed. “Seriously, what was in your wine tonight and why didn’t I get any?”

“Oh come now, Darcy,” his grin was all but predatory as he slowly closed what little space there was between them, stopping only a finger’s width away. “I know you are at least clever enough to deduce what I’m referring to.” He lifted a hand to lightly brush her cheek with the backs of his fingers before resting it on her bare shoulder. 

Darcy was visibly torn between laughing at him and slapping him as she sidestepped away from his touch. “So now you’re trying on a whole new kind of creepy, huh?” 

Loki responded with a knowing grin that made her heart flutter with something between fear and anticipation.

“Tell me, is it still considered ‘creepy’ if it is actually welcomed behavior?” He easily followed her sidestep to return his hand, now brushing across her shoulder to stop at her neck. He grinned as he felt her pulse quicken.

“Now who’s the humble one?” Darcy had to fight to not stutter. “I knew you were egotistical, but damn. Assuming I want this?” She roughly grabbed his hand away from her throat, shoving it down to his side before letting go. Her unease deepened as she realized his expression had lost none of its self-assuredness.

“So I am not, in fact, ‘sexy’ at times?” 

Darcy’s look of horrified chagrin only gave him more smugness. She quickly composed herself, refusing to stay bothered.

“I mean, you’re all gods here. Lots of you have been sexy, at least some of the time.” She knew it was a weak defense, since he had obviously already heard what Jane and her had talked about.

Loki pretended to consider the possibility. “Indeed. Perhaps your attentions are just very easily won?” Darcy now glared at him. “Let’s find out what your memories have to say.”

Before she could react, Loki’s hand was now pressed at her forehead. He instantly pulled all of her memories of interacting with him, even comparing them to her interactions with others since her arrival. Her thoughts were rushing forward so quickly, she was barely able to have enough presence of mind to shove herself out of reach.

“What the hell was that? What did you do?” Darcy could feel the panic rising in her own voice.

“Merely drew some truth out of you. Albeit truth that I already essentially knew.” Loki’s smirk had not faltered in the slightest.

“You asshole!” Darcy blurted with even less filter than usual. “If you ever do anything like that again, I’m going straight to Thor and Odin. You’re on a probation of sorts, yeah? Kiss freedom good-fucking-bye.” She had never been much for tattling, but when it came to this ancient sorcerer, she knew better than to take her chances with her own devices.

Loki put a hand over his heart with mocked regret. “I am ever so sorry, Lady Darcy. Will you not forgive me?” His tone was devoid of the amusement that still showed on his face.

“Silvertongue, indeed.” Darcy spat. “There’ll be no forgiveness tonight, not that I believe for a second that you actually want it anyway. Just leave me the hell alone.” 

She scrambled with much less grace than she’d hoped for to reach her door and let herself quickly in, slamming it shut. She knew it wouldn’t actually matter, but she pressed her back against it as if to hold off any intrusion, refusing to let panic rise with the obviousness that no door could hold Loki back if he didn’t want it to.

Loki simply continued to grin towards the closed door, still amusing himself with thoughts of how easy it would be to deliciously torment this girl. He had no intentions of following her inside tonight. For one thing, he knew it wouldn’t take much to convince Odin that he needed to be locked back up. And for another, the plan he was beginning to concoct for her was going to be so much more fun than immediate gratification.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Oh boy, here I go sinnin' again!" - Loki, probably
> 
> Just a little side note: the Viking-like traditions for the wedding proceedings are, in fact, Viking traditions that I looked into (briefly) and messed with a bit to make them fit. There will be a few more to come. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

Darcy woke from her broken, uneasy sleep to a knock on her door. She groaned as she realized the sun was seeping in through her curtains, knowing it was going to be time to start the day. She cautiously opened the door to find Jane excitedly waiting, her smile dropping at the sight of Darcy’s state.

“Oh Darcy, did you just now wake up? Are you alright? You don’t look too well.” Jane entered the room with a look of concern.

“I’m fine.” Darcy grumbled sleepily. “Just sorta had a restless night.” 

As Jane eyed her worriedly, and Darcy had to internally ask herself why she wasn’t explaining what had kept her up. There was the obvious potential for an ‘I told you so’ that she admittedly wanted to avoid. But she had to admit that there had to be something more to it than that mere childish avoidance that was keeping her from voicing the potentially dangerous situation that now hung over her. 

_ Maybe a part of you wants him to carry this out, _ an internal voice came from somewhere deep within. Darcy shuddered at the thought as she wondered if there actually might be something wrong with her.  _ No, _ her more sensible side thought.  _ Any attraction aside, you simply just don’t feel that he’s that much of a threat is all. He’s likely only taunting, and you still feel safe with Thor and Odin and warriors surrounding you. _

She almost convinced herself.

“Anyways,” Darcy continued aloud. “What’s on the agenda exactly?”

“Well, the rest of our gal-party are starting a sort of brunch thing right now, which is why I came to get you. But if you want to sit it out and just get ready at your leisure, I can excuse you. It’s no big deal.” The worry had still not fully left Jane’s face, and Darcy had to wonder just how bad she must look.

“Honestly, I’d be fine either way,” Darcy reassured, hoping to knock Jane’s look of worry of her face. “But since I’m far from being ready by their standards, I gotta admit that sitting it out sounds tempting.”

Jane nodded and touched Darcy’s arm affectionately before leaving, turning at the doorway to give the quick reminder that they would be meeting at the beach soon and that she’d come to get her.

After Jane left, Darcy momentarily racked her memory for any recollection of what was going to happen at the beach, deciding to give up and just hope it wasn’t anything too taxing. She filled her tub -  _ bless the Aesir, it fills instantly and stays perfectly warm _ \- and attempted to melt away all of her tension. Tension from mere exhaustion and worry, she made sure to specify inwardly.

Choosing the most lightweight gown available from the vast wardrobe that had been left for her use, Darcy barely finished dressing before Jane was back at her door. She made sure to act her usual carefree self for Jane this time, unsure she’d be able to keep dodging the worried inquiries.

The beach was as mystically beautiful as the rest of Asgard had proven to be. The waves seem to glisten with magical purity, and the sand between the huddles of dark rocks was whiter and softer than any Darcy had ever seen. The sun's warmth seemed to perfectly balance out the cool water that licked her bare feet.

The bridal party’s tradition to carry out at the moment was indeed low-key. They were all to find a shell that caught their eye most and place it into a circle in the sand, the bride to be left out a distance away until they were finished. Once done, she was to be brought over to choose her favorite, and whomever it belonged to was said to be the next bride. Darcy couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought that even this distant realm had something so similar to bouquet tossing.  _ Although, _ she thought to amend,  _ many old traditions probably originated from the Aesir to begin with. _

Lost in the depth of her last thought, Darcy half-heartedly searched the shallow waves for something that intrigued her. She had shell-searched as a child, and although this beach and its shells were unearthly and unfamiliar, there was enough parallel for her to start feeling more at home than she had since arriving. A short moment passed before a deep red glimmer caught her eye, and Darcy lunged for it, getting most of herself wet in the splashy process. She grinned as her fingers closed around the odd shape, pulling the shell out of the water to take a closer look. It had many spirals, and almost resembled a starfish more than a shell. It was hard and smooth, and more shimmery than any natural thing Darcy had seen on earth. 

As she placed it in the circle with the rest, Darcy couldn’t help but find amusement in Sif’s obvious distaste for the whole activity. She had been the first to put something in the circle, clearly picking up the very first thing she saw without a second glance. Now she stood with arms crossed, looking out across the sea wistfully.

“Not as exciting as fighting battles in other realms, huh?” Darcy asked.

Sif shook her head without turning from her gaze. “No,” she answered simply. Darcy felt a small pang of pity then, along with a simultaneous rush of admiration towards this singular woman who had defied tradition to seek out what she really desired.

Jane seemed to put a lot of thought into choosing a shell, muttering things like ‘they’re all so beautiful’ in a way that Darcy had to conclude was stalling. She thought Jane was most likely as unsure as she was as to the true nature of these traditions, and likely also unsure of whether or not the things she did would be met with some offense or other.

She finally chose the red spiral.

“Ha, guess we really  _ are _ kindred spirits.” Darcy joked as she tentatively rose a hand up to indicate it was hers. Jane’s hesitant giggle became more relaxed as most other women started to laugh as well. 

“Whom will you marry?” One teased towards Darcy.

“Perhaps Volstagg,” someone suggested. Laughter followed.

“Or Hogun the Grim,” said another. Even more laughter.

“Or maybe the Fallen Prince!” Shouted a woman Darcy didn’t recognize. The laughter was much more tentative at that, with a few scattered gasps peppering it. 

Sif’s frown was even deeper than Darcy’s or Jane’s. “Why would you dare jest about such a repulsive idea?” She practically yelled at the woman, who was now shaking her head rapidly as if to say ‘nevermind!’.

“I’m sure she was just joking,” Darcy offered. “It’s no biggie.”

A silence awkwardly fell, Sif still scowling towards the poor woman who had dared joke of Loki. 

The lady that Darcy thought she remembered being called Solveig decided to lighten things back up. “If this tradition proves to carry truth, Idunn will be more than peeved to find that she’ll have to give yet another apple to a Midgardian!” Nothing but light humor was in her tone, as if the jab towards an entire planet was entirely commonplace.

Darcy ignored the inherent insult as she mentally logged away her desire to ask Jane more about that apple business. Someone else also seemed to share that curiosity. 

“Will you be eating one at the wedding, then?” Sif asked.

“It will actually be the night before, during the bridal cleansing,” Jane answered softly as she appeared to sober entirely with the subject. “Odin deemed it perfect to go along with the symbolism of rebirth that night. Plus...he seemed to have concerns about anything being official on the wedding day without me being fully immortal, since I will also be receiving the title of future queen.” Darcy noticed the slight uneasiness in Jane’s voice now. 

Sif nodded, and the group seemed to grow quiet as they slowly walked down the beach. Darcy took Jane’s arm and held her back so that they fell behind everyone.

“Is the Idunn apple thingy a tense subject around here?” Darcy whispered.

“I’m honestly not sure. I think there’s a bit of resentment that someone born on Midgard is being deemed worthy of one, let alone worthy of being queen someday.”

Darcy nodded and gave her friend a worried glance. “Are  _ you _ tense about it though? The whole...immortality thing? And the royalty thing?”

“There’s a part of me that kind of thinks I’ll never get used to any of this. But a stronger part of me feels right here. With Thor. With all of the possibilities that this place and way of life can bring. I can learn and experience and accomplish more here than I could have ever dreamt of.” A somewhat reverent smile spread on Jane’s face, and Darcy was satisfied. At least for the moment.

As they neared the palace, a rowdy brawl became audible before it was visible. Darcy spotted the groom party on a platform outside the walls, just beneath the highest balconies. They all seemed to be taking turns fighting with their bare hands.

“No surprise there,” Darcy murmured. She puffed out her chest mockingly and swung her arms heavily at her side. “Me big Norse Viking God, must beat things.” She laughed with Jane, and was pleasantly surprised to see Sif giving a small chuckle as well.

Then everyone stopped short with the sound of a broken yell above. They all watched as one of the men appeared to be hurtling over the edge of the platform of his own accord. Thor spun Mjolnir to propel himself down and catch the man before propelling it to lift them back upwards. Loki’s unmistakable laughter was met by Thor’s booming censure, and no one had to wonder much about what had happened.

“Valhalla help me, if I don’t end up tearing that weasel apart...” Sif was muttering.

Jane was shaking her head with exasperation as Solveig voiced the obvious. “Loki probably had projected his image close to the edge, and poor  Bjørn lunged into nothing.” Darcy avoided eye contact with anyone at the mention of the man who was still haunting her every thought.

A small gap in the day’s scheduled proceedings allowed Darcy to explore. The day had distracted and relaxed her enough so far for her to genuinely feel herself again, and she had no intentions of joining the women for more of their chatterings. With a brief consideration of whether she should change out of her still-damp dress, she quickly decided that going towards her chambers would only invite someone to easily find her, relieving her of her brief freedom.

As she wandered the corridors, Darcy came to a large doorway that had been left ajar. Curiosity won over hesitation and she slowly widened it enough to fit through. She tentatively descended several steps of the stairway that led to a dimly lit room, suppressing a shiver with the thought that it looked something like a dungeon. She turned to head back, when a blue light at the far end caught her eye. A large rectangular object seemed to light up at the touch of a figure Darcy couldn’t immediately make out. She descended one more step to try to catch a little more lighting, and covered her own gasp with a hand against her mouth.

Loki was slowly turning blue as he held the object. The sight was unexpected and unlike anything Darcy had seen, but she quickly remembered the explanation Thor had once given about the fact that Loki was actually some sort of Frosty thing. A small vial came to float next to him, made visible only against the blue light of the rectangle. Loki seemed to be studying it, and Darcy quickly decided that curiosity no longer outweighed danger as she scrambled back upwards. 

Only to land heavily on the last step as she caught herself from tripping.  _ Damn, _ she thought as she slowly raised herself to glance behind her. She knew he’d have heard.

“Even without your noise reaching that of a herd,” Loki casually called up. “I had known you were there before you had even opened the door.”

Darcy mentally chided herself for having even remotely thought she’d been able to sneak up on this man. Unsure of how unwanted her presence had been, she felt apprehension grow as Loki lowered the object - skin slowly whitening as he did so - and vanished the vial. He began stalking over to her with an almost predatory gait.

Darcy tried to lighten the palpable tension caused by his purposefully slow ascension. “So that’s your blue alter-ego? Cool. Literally, actually, right? Since you’re like, a Frost-thing?”

“Frost giant,” Loki corrected softly as he drew nearer, gaze locked on her face.

“Giant? I mean, you’re tall, but…” she had to pause to swallow thickly as he closed in to an uncomfortably close proximity. “You don’t seem, you know...giant-level.”

He squinted at her slightly in the usual scrutiny that was becoming his habit with her. A small grin began forming before he responded. “I was something of what Midgardians might call a ‘runt’.” He seemed to be amusedly testing her reaction to the statement.

Darcy kept her expression carefully still. The silence became heavy, and Darcy blurted the first thing that came to her mind. 

“I don’t care.” Her own eyes widened slightly with surprise at herself, unsure of what she had even really meant by that odd response.

Loki was at least as surprised as her, showing it briefly before quickly returning back to his amused scrutiny of her. “You don’t care?” He repeated, as if fully intrigued by the simple statement. “About what, exactly?”

Darcy tried to recall what momentary thought had made her blurt those words out, but came up blank under the current pressure. “About any of this,” she ended up saying with a shrug. “I mean, none of my business, right? I was just, you know, exploring. Not searching for anything or…” she trailed off as his hand brushed over her throat ever so gently. She stared up at him as if frozen, until he gave a half-smile that was pure enjoyment as he withdrew his hand. Darcy couldn’t help but gulp before regaining a little composure, squaring her shoulders as she said, “My warning still stands. No more of last night’s crap, right?” She tried to sound much more resolute than she felt.

Loki let out a soft chuckle that almost sounded menacing. “I’ll make you a deal, shall I? I’ll agree to do nothing you do not wish me to do, as long as you agree to not lie about what you truly want.” Darcy frowned, eyes searching his as if she could find his true endgame in them. “Or, if I feel you are not being completely honest, I can always,” he lifted his hand to hover near her forehead, “find out.”

A part of Darcy wanted to call his bluff. To simply say ‘fuck that’ and reiterate her threat of going to Odin. But the part of her that she knew she should be ignoring began to take over her foremost thoughts. Because, no matter how much she had assured Jane - had assured herself, even - a part of Darcy very much wanted to find out what Loki would do.

And that part of her was only growing stronger.

~~

Loki still grinned darkly as Darcy scrambled to leave. She was so obviously and tantalizingly shaken. By  _ him _ . And as much as he usually enjoyed - and even  _ preferred _ \- being able to throw people off through fear and chaos, this was something else entirely. She was shaken by a completely different form of intimidation. And he was beginning to relish it.

He had not lied about hearing her before she had even entered - many who were more stealthy than her had always failed to sneak up on him. The briefest inner debate with himself had concluded with curiosity winning out over caution; it was likely that Thor and Odin would soon hear at least something of his being down there as a consequence, but that was something he’d already prepared for. One way or another, it was only a matter of time before one of them grew to suspect that the Aether had only seemed to disappear because the most obvious person to desire it had been present at the time. They would attempt to draw it from him soon. 

But he would be ready.

The vault contained the only thing he wanted perhaps even more than the Aether: the tesseract. He had grown vastly fond of the power and freedom that came with it during his time possessing it. This was the first time he had visited the vault since his return, and he felt the need for just enough caution to have planned on it being a brief visit. Recon only. But the sight of the casket had brought unexpected thoughts to his mind, and on a last minute whim he held it to once again reveal his birth-form. He had begun to toy with the idea to permanently alter his own reality to true Aesir using the Aether - still holding the casket for extra measure of surety that it would truly be working - when he had heard Darcy approaching.

Aside from initial startle, she hadn’t been overly bothered by his appearance.  _ Not all that surprising, _ he thought,  _ since she had not grown up with such stories of the Jotun being nothing but monsters.  _

Her comment, however, about not caring,  _ had _ in fact surprised him. Her hasty explanation of it hadn’t seemed entirely sincere, and for one wild moment he had almost thought she meant it didn’t bother her that he was a small, cast-out Frost Giant. 

It hardly mattered either way, was his end conclusion. She was just a diversion, nothing more than amusement with a potential for some extra leverage down the line.

_ Albeit a very alluring diversion _ , he thought to himself with the memory of her expression at his suggested ‘bargain’. The brief flash of excitement, desire, and even uneasy apprehension that he had seen in her had formed a delightful cocktail of allure that he found surprisingly enticing. 

How unexpectedly enjoyable these wedding celebrations were turning out to be.

~~

Darcy met the rest of the party of women at the landing at the base of the palace’s hill, re-dressed in dry clothes. The group of men stood nearby, all ready for the race that was about to commence. Darcy avoided looking toward their general direction altogether.

“Hey!” Jane called out cheerfully. “ _ There _ you are! Ready for this? I hope you brought your running shoes like I did, because I am  _ not _ about to serve dinner to these brutes tonight.” Darcy tried to match Jane’s lighthearted smile, but failed. And Jane noticed her preoccupation. “Ok, what’s wrong? I didn’t want to bug you any more after last night, but...something’s up, isn’t it?”

Darcy took a moment before meeting Jane’s gaze, brushing off all of her own tormenting concerns. “Nah. Not really.” She gave Jane a big smile. “I’m good.”

Jane frowned at her a bit longer before accepting her answer, and looked towards Sif as she approached them now.

“You two ready? Remember, the whole group has to get to the dining hall first. Even if  _ I _ make it there before any men,” Sif paused for a smug grin, “it still will not matter if all of the men arrive before the last woman. And then we will be reduced to servant work.” Sif made a little face.

Both Darcy and Jane held back snide remarks about the attitude towards supposed ‘servants’, and instead just threw each other wry glances before nodding at Sif.

“Jane!” called Thor’s booming voice. “We are to be the forerunners, starting at the head of our groups. Good luck, my love!” He and Jane gave each other brief smiles before taking a ready stance.

“No tricks!” Sif yelled out warningly as if to the whole group of men, though she looked pointedly towards Loki. Darcy glanced up at her, automatically following her line of sight before fully registering who she was obviously going to be looking at. 

He was grinning in response to Sif’s censuring demand, then turning towards Darcy as she now looked at him. The grin immediately deepened with much more than the light mischievousness he had thrown at Sif. There was no way Darcy could have prevented the light flush that crossed over her just before she turned away and forced herself to suppress the memory that threatened to replay in her mind. 

The guard acting as race commencer was now pounding his spear against the stone floor. Darcy barely noticed as everyone bolted forward, leaving her only a second behind before she did the same.

What few rules that had been explained to Darcy included the explicit forbiddance of interfering with the other group. Of course she had zero expectations that a certain god would actually obey said rule. Making sure to stay as close to whichever woman she seemed matched in speed with, Darcy stayed wary of any possible illusions. Unfortunately, her efforts proved pointless as the woman next to her suddenly shifted with a green flash into Loki’s form, causing Darcy to tumble face-first towards the ground as she did a double take. His arm caught her effortlessly before pulling her off to the side to regain her speed without getting trampled. 

“Thanks for catching me. And for making me fall in the first place.” Darcy’s sarcasm was still evident even through her panting.

Loki ignored her words, staring fully downwards while keeping up with her pace as easily as if they had been standing still. “What are those ghastly things on your feet?”.

“Running shoes. Came in handy after all.”

“I am to assume they should assist you with running, given their name?” He scoffed. “Much good they’re doing. You’re almost dead last.”

“Yep. Thanks for  _ that,  _ too. Thought you were supposed to stay with the other testosteronies, by the way.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Are you about to lie and say that you were doing so well before I turned up?”

Darcy let out an exaggerated groan. “Remember how you weren’t going to do anything I didn’t want you to do? Guess what I don’t want you to be doing right now.”

With nothing but a quick grin, Loki vanished. Darcy picked up her pace, spurred by her renewed exasperation towards his disconcerting attention. 

Once Darcy reached the dining hall, Sif and Thor were seated leisurely. Jane and a few other women and men including Hogun and Fandral looked to have only just gotten there. Darcy almost missed Loki lounging on one of the balcony balustrades near the hall. She momentarily wondered if he had cheated before almost laughing at the idea; of course he had.

The last man staggered only seconds behind the last woman, and an almost ear-piercing cheer sounded all at once. Sif began taunting Thor and the Warriors Three, and Darcy grinned at the sight of Asgardian trash-talk. 

Most of the women sat with smugness as they milked the situation of the groom’s party having to set up the dining arrangement before bringing out the courses and wine. Darcy couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of Thor bringing out large dishes of food with a somewhat defeated expression. 

“Where is the wine?” Sif impatiently asked with a grin. “We require wine!” Her demanding exclamation was met with feminine laughter all around.

“Lo-ki!” Thor dragged out his call patronizingly. “Bring these maidens their wine! You were to have done so already!”

Loki was nowhere to be seen, yet everyone’s goblets were spontaneously filling. Darcy was not the only one eyeing hers suspiciously before tentatively tasting it.

“Seems normal,” Solveig commented. Sif refused to even pick her goblet up. 

Once the womens’ dining was well underway, the men then sat at their own table. Darcy couldn’t help but feel at least a little thankful that most of the day had brought an easy excuse to avoid Loki. Her head felt as though it had not stopped spinning since the previous night, only worsened by their encounter today. She still couldn’t believe how easily he seemed to have cornered her, literally and figuratively,  _ twice _ now. But then again, she had to admit that she shouldn’t be surprised, considering who it was.

But she mostly couldn’t believe how easily she had caved to her own base desire. The rankling thought was still distracting her until the second call of her name began to break through.

“Darcy?” Thor was saying, standing next to Jane now. 

“Hmm?”

“We were talking about the symbols behind everything everyone did today, and Thor is asking what shell I picked,” Jane whispered, the worry from earlier back on her face as she eyed her distracted friend.

“Oh, sorry I'm just sleepy. But yeah, shell stuff.” Darcy paused as Loki momentarily appeared next to Thor. _So much for_ _that short-lived reprieve_, she thought bitterly.

“Yeah, Jane picked mine,” Darcy continued lamely, before realizing that that had obviously already been established while she had zoned out. “But um, I have no idea what it was. It was all spirally and weird. Really beautiful. Dark red, almost too shiny to be real.”

Thor was now chuckling, his brother smirking beside him. Jane and Darcy exchanged confused looks.

“What is it?” Jane was first to ask.

“She and you both chose the sea creature that is classically symbolic for lust,” Thor explained through his chuckles. 

Darcy hoped she wasn’t as red as Jane. But she feared she was.

“Well,” Jane quickly acted as if she thought it was a ridiculous notion. “That’s a bit silly for such an advanced race, isn’t it?”

“Oh my love, all of these traditions are deeply rooted in a culture that traces back through the ages.” Thor’s voice sounded almost reverent. “Some still have some merit, even. That shell, for example,” he seemed to shift right back into a humorous tone. “It is thought to have an especially strong allure to those who are filled with lustful thoughts at the moment it’s sighted. The color, particularly, is said to draw the eye of one who is so preoccupied.”

Jane rolled her eyes, but grinned up at the man who was fully beaming down at her. Darcy suddenly thought that they should not have been waiting for the wedding night to ‘consummate’; they were getting nauseating and needed to get it over with.

Her brief distraction over her friend was soon cut short as she realized that Loki was still staring at her, smirking ever so slightly. She glared at him before looking down at her remaining food to pick at it, still feeling his eyes on her.

“Do you have something to say to Lady Darcy?” Sif bluntly asked Loki. Darcy looked back up to see that Thor and Jane were also now eyeing Loki with confused expressions.

Loki’s grin was shameless as he answered Sif. “Yes, but I highly doubt that you’d want to hear it.”

Sif frowned suspiciously, and Darcy’s hands clenched into fists. Thor looked from Darcy to his brother to Jane. The latter’s expression of concern seemed to compel him most of all.

“Brother, must I warn you not to cause our guest any discomfort?”

“No need.” Loki’s tone still kept its smugness. “I was just leaving.” He vanished with one last smirk towards Darcy.

“Darcy…” Jane started, seemingly unsure how exactly to word what she was thinking.

“He is likely merely attempting to ruffle some feathers,” Sif offered. “I would simply ignore him were I you. However,” something seemed to burn behind her eyes. “Should he attempt anything more than that, do not hesitate to inform me. I would take care of the matter quite swiftly.”

Darcy had no doubt of the determined sincerity behind Sif’s promise. “Thanks. No need, though, I’m sure.”

“He is acting...rather odd,” Thor said thoughtfully. “Even for him, I mean. He may require another threat or two.” Thor’s sincerity was momentarily interrupted with a soft chuckle as he seemed to find some amusement with the idea.

Darcy was slightly cheered with the thought herself. “Totally. Go get all menacing and Thunder God-ish with him.” They exchanged grins before Thor seemed to decide it was a better idea than a mere joke, and headed down the corridor towards the royal chambers.

Sif seemed satisfied. Jane less so.

“Was that the best thing to do at the moment?” Jane wondered aloud.

“Why should it not be? Do you think Thor to be in any danger?” Sif scoffed.

“Loki’s proven a threat to him more than once,” Jane replied worriedly. “Besides, if Loki has some sort of game going on with Darcy, he’d just as likely find a way to take this out on her.”

“We’re not playing a game,” Darcy blurted, immediately sighing with exasperation toward herself.  _ Seriously, keep it together and keep your mouth shut. _

Jane was frowning at her. “I...didn’t mean that. I was thinking more along the lines of a one-sided game. Like toying. Like a  _ Loki _ thing.” Darcy simply nodded in response, still chiding herself internally as Jane’s frown refused to entirely leave her face.

Darcy had drained the rest of her wine and was standing to leave when Thor returned. He somehow looked simultaneously pleased and puzzled.

“Lady Darcy, no further worry need be had concerning my brother. I was brutally clear that the first sign of any kind of trouble your way would automatically be blamed on him, and back to his cell it would be.” 

“Is something still troubling you?” Jane whispered to him low enough that Sif couldn’t hear. 

“No, no, it is nothing.” Thor gave her a carefree expression that seemed to falter with his next words. “It’s just...he seemed just a tad too agreeable. For him, I mean. It is possible - only slightly possible - that he might indeed be up to something.” Jane looked uncomforted by his downplay of it.

Darcy chewed on her lip as she inwardly debated the pros and cons of mentioning the vial she had seen with Loki. She soon concluded that Thor was her best bet, regardless of the consequences she could face with Loki.

“I saw him down in the vault thing,” she began. “Earlier today. With that big blue rectangle. And he had a small vial of something that he quickly hid.” She briefly wondered what the God of Mischief’s approach with tattle-tales would be.

“The casket,” Thor whispered. “It is from his...birth realm. I know not why he would be down there with it. Nor what the vial you speak of might be. But I will bring the matter to my father - it may be of importance.”

Now filled with an odd mixture of relief and regret, Darcy numbly nodded at Thor as she rose again to leave.  _ It’s definitely a good thing that you brought it up, _ she reassured herself as she made her way to her chambers. 

She suddenly realized that an early retirement was the last thing she wanted this night, now feeling a strong need for diversion. Deciding to quickly change into her earthly clothes that she had worn when she had left home, Darcy planned to wait for Jane at her chambers for some familiar,  _ safe _ fun. Just the two of them. Smiling at this idea, Darcy opened her bedroom door.

And tripped over the first step in the vault.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just the first hints of earning an E rating, so I changed it just to be on the safe side. 
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

“Ugh!” Darcy uttered as she barely caught herself from making a faceplant. “What the…?”

As she righted herself, Darcy realized how she’d ended up suddenly there as she saw Loki standing at the bottom of the stairs, a dark expression coloring his face.

“So, you just  _ had _ to run to Thor with the ‘frightening’ sights you beheld.” His voice was dangerously low. Darcy’s heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest.

“What did you expect?” She managed. “That I would just be totally cool with all of this and brush it off as most-likely harmless? Your rep kind of precedes you.”

Loki’s breathy laugh was mirthless. “Indeed it does. And yet, it’s apparently still not menacing enough to hold your tongue. Enough to cow you from  _ daring _ to cause me any trouble.”

Darcy fought to slow her breathing. “You can’t have it both ways, Loki! You can’t keep trying to make everyone fear you while also expecting them to trust you. Or to let you get away with your shit.” She let exasperation and anger fuel her words.

Loki appeared right in front of her so fast, Darcy had to take a small step back to keep from teetering. “You have no  _ idea _ how much fear I could cause!” He threateningly shouted. Darcy refused to cower in the slightest. She kept her expression as blank as possible, widened blue eyes meeting his unflinchingly. It seemed to somehow calm him slightly. 

“I never asked for your trust,” he continued, much more softly now. “But you had used the threat of Thor and Odin as a bargaining chip, yet still went to my brother without cause to do so. Why?”

“Thor seemed worried that you were up to something. He’s my friend, and he’s a very good-hearted guy.” Loki scoffed. “ _ Aaaand _ you definitely  _ are _ up to something,” she finished bluntly.

“What if I were to assure you that you needn’t worry, whatever it may be?”

“I’d say that that assurance is worthless.” 

Her words seem to bring amusement back into its usual place in his expression as he grinned. 

“Wise. But in this case, unwarranted. I am, at present, meaning no harm to befall anyone here.”

“Anyone  _ here _ ,” she emphasized, leaving the implied ‘doesn’t include other worlds’ to hang in the air.

Loki sighed with dramaticized exasperation. “Darcy, I would not wish for you to get tangled up in matters far beyond you. It is much better for you to stay out of it.”

“I wasn’t exactly looking for trouble. Nor was I looking to get spied on, or sneaked up on, or harassed, or to suddenly be brought here from my room, or…” Loki held up a hand to stop her.

“Yes, yes, I know. You’re the most innocent of maidens and I am nothing but trouble.” A wry grin curled his lips.

“First statement is only kinda true. Relatively. Second one is an  _ under _ statement.” Darcy had fully calmed, but was rekindling enough ire within herself to burn him with one last glare. “Now, may I return to my room?”

“Tired already? I thought you to be young, even by Midgard standards,” he taunted, as if they had been doing nothing but joking around this whole time.

“Not that I need to explain, but no, I’m not tired. I want to change and find Jane to have a girls’ night.”

Another exaggerated sigh. “It’s unfair, really. You cause me all this grief, only to go for a night out while I am to be berated by the Allfather.” Both annoyance and humor colored his words.

“ _ You _ caused you grief,” Darcy corrected. “Room.  _ Now _ .” Her impatience was growing.

With a slight eye roll, Loki granted her request. Darcy shook her head as she took in her chambers around her now. She quickly found her own clothes, throwing on the T-shirt and jeans. She went to her sink and splashed cold water on her face, gripping the edge of the sink as she forced herself to fully push past yet another disconcerting encounter. Once satisfied that she was as good to go as possible, she headed for Jane’s room.

The two wound up meandering around the palace grounds before spontaneously deciding to grab the wine that was still in the dining hall. They brought it out to the garden, and soon they were on their backs in the grass, laughing and talking as if they were back at Jane’s trailer in the desert.

“Still can’t really wrap my head around you being a Queen Goddess person,” Darcy chuckled as she smiled up at the stars.

“Honestly...me neither. Sometimes I can’t quite believe I’m doing this,” Jane admitted with a sigh.

“But you’re like...happy right? I mean, this is all kinda a big commitment n’ such.”

“I know it is. And yes, I am sure about Thor. I’m also sure of the opportunities that come along with this life, as I’ve mentioned. The things I could do...”

“Mhm. It honestly kinda suits you.”

“Thanks.” Jane smiled before continuing. “I just can’t seem to get behind the whole royalty thing, or the way that they do some things around here.”

“Dude, I hear ya. They’re somehow primitive and advanced at the same time.”

The two shared an inebriated laugh at that, turning to smile at each other before resting their heads back on the ground to face the sky.

“So...the old honorable ‘wait until the wedding night’, huh?” Darcy teasingly asked.

“Yeah.” Jane giggled in a way that belied her alcohol consumption. “Not really my idea. But since our history has already been...choppy when it comes to timing, we kinda figured why not wait just a bit longer? Plus, the wedding traditions sort of call for separate chambers during all of the precedings anyway.”

“Hence you chose ‘the red shell of lust’,” Darcy chuckled. Her own drunkenness prevented her from predicting the natural response that her comment would inspire.

“Speaking of that…” Jane began. Darcy clenched her eyes shut, biting her lip with regret. “What’s with Loki’s apparent interest in your choice?” Jane turned towards her, waiting for an answer. Darcy gave an exaggerated shrug, but Jane wasn’t quite ready to let it rest. “I mean, he doesn’t exactly remind me of the type that would usually give a shit about idle gossip.”

Darcy let out a sigh as she spoke. “He’s just...interested in anything that bothers me.” She tried to downplay the situation. Not enough wine in Asgard to make her spill the explanation of his potential manipulation of her heinously inappropriate attraction.

“Yeah, you sure got his attention.”

Darcy could feel Jane’s eyes still on her, but refused to meet her gaze, pretending to still be studying the stars above them.

Jane finally let up her stare, turning back as she officially ended the subject. “I’m sure the whole symbolism thing has zero merit anyway.” 

They drifted into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts for a moment. Jane brought up New Mexico for a brief reminiscence before they both realized how late it was getting. They dizzyingly rose to their feet, taking turns laughing at themselves, and staggered through the hallways with stifled giggles. A clumsy hug was shared before they parted to head to their respective chambers.

Darcy’s reaction time was delayed enough that she made it well beyond the threshold before noticing Loki lounging in her bed. Luckily, her nerves were too dulled for it to cause a startle. Or maybe she was already just getting used to it. She shuddered at the thought of having gotten used to such a thing so quickly.

“If you like that bed so much more than your own, why don’t you just switch them,” Darcy quipped almost lazily.

“Your speech is slurring. Was more wine required tonight due to some need to calm your nerves? Can’t think why that would be.” His smirk was unredeemable.

“Dunno how the chicks do ladies’ night here on Az-guard, but on Earth we tend to drink.”

“And am I to assume your tongue was loosened enough to tell Thor’s woman all about our conversations?”

“Nnnope. You ain’t _ that _ interesting, pal. We had tons of other stuff to discuss.” Darcy leaned against the foot of the bed to stabilize herself. The action was somewhat less than graceful, drawing a snicker from the man lying in it.

“You are certainly a bit worse for wear, my dear.”

“I’m not your ‘dear’. And I can’t help but notice that  _ you _ look just peachy, by the way. Was Odin softer on you than expected?” She couldn’t hide the disappointment from her voice.

“You wound me with your lack of faith in my finesse to explain away practically  _ anything _ .”

“Mmm, so you lied,” Darcy surmised.

“It’s proven a very effective method for getting my way.”

“Whatever.” Darcy momentarily considered collapsing on the floor, not willing to drunkenly try to get the God of Mischief out of the bed.

“I must admit, I had wished to find you more sober tonight.” He was now looking at her with the same gleam that he’d had at dinner. Darcy couldn’t quite interpret her own reaction to that look at the moment.

“Sorry to disappoint.” Her slight slur didn’t dull any of the sarcastic tint.

“Believe it or not, the Aesir have figured out a cure for the simple issue of inebriation.”

“Cool. I like being inebriated though.”

“Do you enjoy the after effects the next morning?”

He had her there. Taking her silence as acquiescence, he effortlessly swung off the bed to stand in front of her, conjuring something like a shot glass full of a translucent liquid with a pinkish hue.

“Yeah right. Who knows what that actually is?” Darcy eyed the glass skeptically.

“I do,” he answered simply.

“I’m not drinking it.”

“You’ll thank me for it later.” He raised the glass till it was almost touching her lips.

“You have an interesting imagination if you think I’d thank you for anything.” Despite her words, she tentatively took the glass and drank, deciding she’d feel better dealing with him sober.

“You have no idea how interesting my imagination can be. Especially when put towards...certain efforts.” He almost whispered the last words as he brushed a thumb over her bottom lip. Darcy couldn’t be sure if her head was swimming from his words, touch, or the liquid she’d just drank.

Only a few more seconds passed to leave Darcy fully sober. She grabbed Loki’s hand to pull it away from her lips, but he stayed put.

“You agreed to not stop me from doing anything that you actually desired,” Loki said, almost warningly.

“You’re using ‘agreed’ kinda loosely there. You basically just had me cornered and I stopped fighting the matter.” Darcy couldn’t help but feel as though she were in a standoff. A standoff that was starting to blur the line between potential enemy and potential lover. She held his hand to stop it from continuing to touch her face, unable to not appreciate the size and strength of it as she did so.

“It was an agreement, nonetheless.” His eyes were now smoldering into hers as he grinned. “Or shall I find out for sure?”

“Not necessary.” Darcy threw daggers with her expression. She had hated the way his memory-pull had felt. Like a violation of the mind. She let out a tired sigh. “Alright. You got me. I’ll be honest, it doesn’t feel...totally terrible when you touch me. But I am also legit tired. So...ta ta for now.”

“I also have cures for that.”

Darcy let out a small groan of exasperation. “ ‘Course you do. Ok, lay it on me. As long as there’s no side effects. Like, I won’t turn into some big ugly serpent at midnight tomorrow or something?”

Loki frowned a little before chuckling, raising his free hand towards her temple.

“No! None of that, remember?”

“Relax,” he chided with obvious annoyance. “This will only energize you.” He pressed his fingers against the side of her head.

For a split second, it felt like she was going to feel nothing except the usual spark that his touch brought, but then all at once she felt a pulse. It quickly grew into something electric, coursing through her, subtly yet noticeably. And suddenly she felt as if it were many hours earlier, sleepiness gone.

“Whoa. That’s kinda handy. Why do you ever sleep if you can do that?”

Loki looked as if her would berate her for stupidity, but instead simply answered, “I can’t use it on myself. You just took a bit of my own energy, essentially.”

“Oh,” she replied sheepishly. She was now even more aware of her hand still wrapped around his, now lowered to an inch above her chest. That led to even more clear awareness; they were alone together in her room. At night. And there were no more secrets left between them as to what they both wanted to do with such a situation. 

Except that she still had no idea why exactly he was taking advantage of the discovery of her attractions. 

Just as he leaned in with apparent intent to kiss her, Darcy blurted, “Why are you doing this?”

He frowned down at her, only pulling back slightly, leaving their proximity still tantalizingly close.

“I suppose ‘because I can’ will not suffice for an answer?” A wry grin tugged one corner of his lips.

“Not a chance.”

“That’s unfortunate. It’s honestly as good of an answer as any.”

“Ugh,  _ seriously _ though,” she sighed heavily. “I think I really have to know. I actually don’t even know why I do. I mean, far be it from me to look into some hot casual hookup. But....you’re you. And even  _ I  _ haven’t been with anyone remotely as dangerous as you.”

“You think I’m going to harm you?” He deduced. She shrugged and nodded. “If that was all I wished to do, I could simply just do it.”

“Not all harm is stabby or sorcery. There’s also manipulation or...hell, I don’t know. Maybe even taking an opportunity to get at Thor somehow. You’re the angsty one - you tell  _ me _ .”

Again, he wore his usual expression of amusement. He had no trouble hiding the fact that she was now slightly nearing some truths, and it was easy for him to pull out the simplest and most harmless truth to actually answer her with. After all, lies and omissions mixed with truths were always the most believable.

“It is truly for the same reasons that you want to. Because of curiosity, and because it's fun.” He paused briefly, eyes now flashing with something she couldn’t immediately interpret. “And because of  _ desire _ ,” he whispered with a raw roughness that took Darcy completely off guard. 

Almost as off guard as the feeling of his lips suddenly against hers. 

It only took her a moment before she began to match his enthusiasm. She felt as though she couldn't even remember what hangups she could've had as his strong lips parted her full ones and to slip his tongue in. He held one hand firmly at the nape of her neck, tangled in her thick hair, while the other was sliding down her throat, thumb brushing over her collarbone.

Darcy wasn't sure when her arms had wrapped around his waist, but she found herself currently clutching his clothing as her passion began to rise, nails digging into soft leather. She lightly bit his bottom lip, knees buckling as Loki let out a sigh of pleasure that seemed to reverberate to her very core. His kissing increased its roughness to lip-swelling pressure, hand now lowering to slip his thumb just below the neckline of her low-scoop shirt.

Darcy pulled away slightly in attempt to calm her ragged breathing, momentarily looking into his eyes as she did so. She found an intensity that both surprised her and set her blood on fire. The level of passion that was quickly rising between them was altogether unexpected. It felt like some kind of delicious curse forming, both intoxicating and damning.

His mouth was back on hers before she could successfully tame her breathing at all, impatiently returning to the strong buildup that had been forming. His hand tightened its grip in her hair, other now slipping further down until he was stroking the top of her breast. At the sound of the soft moan it drew from her, he threw her onto the bed. She looked up at him with surprise and excitement, intrigued with his rough urgency. He paused briefly, eyes roaming as if to study her entire body before him. And then he was hovering above her, kneeling with a leg on either side of hers. He ran his hands up her arms, gently raising them onto the pillow above her head before firmly holding them there by her wrists. Her chest heaved with sudden apprehension, flickering his attention downwards before his eyes returned to hers.

“You seem astonishingly reactive,” he commented somewhat raspily. Darcy couldn’t help but be pleased to find his breathing almost as ragged and affected as her own. He was kissing her neck before she could respond. She let out a little whimper as he lightly started to use his tongue. She could feel him grin against her skin. “Are you sure you’re not still intoxicated? Perhaps I misjudged the dosing,” he mused softly, still grinning.

“I’m definitely intoxicated,” she breathed her admittance. “But it has nothing to do with the wine.”

He raised his head back up to meet her eyes, now seeming to search for a sign that she had been joking. With a deep chuckle, he flashed a wicked grin of sheer gratification at her apparent sincerity. 

“And I haven’t even begun, my dear,” he whispered deeply as he lowered back to her neck. He bit her there just hard enough to draw a hissed intake of breath from her. She felt his lips form another self-satisfied grin.

He released her wrists to slide his hands back down her arms with tantalizing slowness, stopping to grip her sides posessively. Once they were free, her hands tangled into his hair to pull his mouth back up to hers. She kissed him with a roughness that surprised even herself, arching her back to press her chest into him suggestively. A guttural growl emitted from him before he pressed a hand on her abdomen to push her back down against the bed, releasing their kiss to stare at her with renewed intensity. His hand stayed splayed against her as he slowly moved it upwards, sliding her shirt up without breaking eye contact.

Suddenly, a loud clash sounded from outside. Loki was on his feet before the sound even registered with Darcy, his stance quickly becoming defensive.

“What…?” Darcy began to whisper, stopping as Loki raised a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture. 

He vanished without a word. Darcy quietly stepped over to the door. Her hand was on the handle when Loki reappeared, purposefully wedging himself between the door and her. She jumped back a little.

“What’s going on?” she whispered.

“Stay here, Darcy,” he replied softly. 

“Then tell me what is happening.” Her voice raised slightly with exasperation.

“Shh!” Loki looked like he would smack her. “Alright,” he whispered with annoyance. “Just stay close.” His arms were around her before she could question him, and they were suddenly in the corridor that she recognized as the one that led to the vault.

Four figures were approaching. As they came into view, Darcy squinted at their alien appearance. They were almost sickly pale, with markings on their face and ears that pointed in a way that Darcy could recognized intuitively as elfish. She covered her mouth with her hand to stifle a gasp as one of them looked directly at them, expression fiercely determined.

But he only turned back to his companions, continuing to sneak down the corridor. Darcy gave a confused look towards Loki, silently mouthing the question “Are we invisible?” He nodded in answer, one arm still around her waist as he started to slowly guide her to follow the intruders.

Just then, Thor came from an adjoining corridor, followed by the Warriors and Sif. The five of them began silently surrounding the Dark Elves. Before they had quite formed a circle around them, one of the Elves heard Volstagg’s heavy footsteps. The Elf swiftly drew a Black Hole Grenade out, only to have it smashed out of his hand with the sudden blow from Mjolner. The hammer returned to Thor’s hand, and he brandished it warningly towards the Elf. The other three Elves were simultaneously engaging with Sif and the Warriors, only to be quickly disarmed.

“We will not give in,” said the Elf that Thor had disarmed. “You cannot stop us.”

“We just did,” Thor countered impatiently. “And you will answer to us from behind a prison cell barrier.”

“Fool.” The Elf grinned menacingly just as a fifth, previously unseen companion approached from behind Thor with a sword.

All at once, Loki uncloaked and threw a dagger into the back of the oncoming Elf. Thor turned at the sound, Sif automatically pointing her spear toward the Elf he now left unchecked.

“Brother?” Thor called with surprise.

“You all need to work on your sneak attack,” Loki responded. “Perhaps next time leave the largest oaf behind.” He threw a look of reprimand towards Volstagg.

“Why were you sneaking about?” Sif asked Loki suspiciously as Thor checked the status of the Elf now lying on the floor as its dark blood slowly pooled onto the floor. “And what the hell were you taking the mortal with you for?”

“Such wise and pertinent questions at a time like this.” Loki’s tone was full of ire. “Shall we continue to converse while our intruders plot their escape?”

“This one is still alive,” Thor announced. “We can get a Healer to follow us to the prison.” 

“Brother, please tell me you are not that foolish.” Loki eyed him incredulously. “We do not heal Dark Elves, especially not  _ invading _ ones.”

“We will always exhaust all peaceful pathways first.”

“Your weakness is why you will fail this time,” said the Elf whom Sif guarded. “I will never agree to peace.”

“Alright, to the dungeons with all of you. Now!” Sif shouted exasperatedly. Thor hefted the unconscious one as the rest were poked and prodded towards the prisons.

Loki hesitated thoughtfully before muttering, “They will just mess something up and doom us all.” He vanished, effectively leaving Darcy to now stand in the dark corridor alone.

“Darcy?” Came Jane’s scratchy voice. Darcy was still a bit wide-eyed, only increasing Jane’s worry. “What was all the noise? What’s going on?”

Darcy could hear the inebriation still present in Jane’s voice, along with a sleepiness that told her she had been ripped from a very deep wine-induced sleep.

“Um, I think a few Dark Elves just invaded. They were quickly outnumbered though, and they’re being imprisoned now.”

Jane’s reaction was only slightly delayed, horror now spreading across her tired face. “Again?” Panic rose into her voice.

“No, it’s ok, it’s nothing like what the first time sounded like. It’s just like a few disgruntled ones or something. Your man and his peeps have it covered. You should probably go back to bed - you kinda...look like you need it,” Darcy added with a meaningful once-over.

“Ugh, sorry I’m not quite as young as you. God, I thought I remember alcohol affecting you a bit more than this,” she added with confusion, now frowning at Darcy’s lack of any sign of a late night of drinking.

“Yeah, what can I say? Asgardian wine is smooth as hell.” She shrugged, hoping Jane was in fact still drunk and tired enough to buy her weak explanation.

Loki appeared right where he had left, making Jane give a weak yelp of surprise. He looked at her as if it were the oddest thing to find her there now, quickly dismissing her to turn to Darcy. “That fool honestly insisted on bringing a Healer. What a waste. We’re only going to end up killing it.” He shook his head with exasperated impatience. “They’re all locked up now, though, at least,” he told to Darcy, ignoring Jane’s obvious confusion.

“What the hell is going on?” Jane was now fully indignant.

Loki let out an exaggerated sigh before responding. “A few trouble-making Dark Elves snuck in here. They were easily apprehended, and now they await further questioning in our prisons.” He quickly explained in a patronizing tone, as if Jane were an annoyingly inquisitive child.

“What? Why?” Jane questioned to no one in particular.

“We’ll probably find out tomorrow,” Darcy offered. “Seriously, chica, go get some beauty rest before your fianc é sees you like this.” She hoped the extra sass would be enough to convince her to leave. 

Jane glared at Darcy before sighing and returning to her chambers.

“Well, this has been lots of fun,” Darcy observed sarcastically. “But I think I’m gonna go hit the sack too.”

“You need no extra ‘beauty sleep’.” Loki said wryly, with a half-smile that made Darcy a little weak. 

“Ha, funny. Don’t get all mushy on me all of the sudden. Sweet talk like that doesn’t really suit you.” Darcy hoped the dimness of the corridor was hiding her blush.

“Are you sure?” He closened to her, lightly brushing a finger down her cheek before withdrawing, as if suddenly making an internal decision. “Perhaps you should rest, though.” 

Darcy nodded, although she wasn’t entirely sure if she was relieved or disappointed with the ease of his acquiescence. She headed back towards her chambers, highly aware that his eyes were still on her as she did so before she rounded the corner.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, it was Darcy’s turn to pound on Jane’s door. Thor had tentatively - almost shyly - knocked on her own door a bit earlier, and apologetically asked whether she knew if something was wrong with Jane.

“She does not usually sleep this late,” Thor had said with a furrowed brow.

“Yeah, she kinda hit the bottle a bit harder than her ushe,” Darcy explained, quickly adding the hand gesture of drinking as the look of confusion grew on Thor’s face. “Anyways, I’ll go wake her if you’re too chicken.”

“I am no fowl,” he mumbled, somewhat hurt. 

So, Darcy had quickly thrown on another of the more lightwear gowns she could find (although she’d love to see Thor continue to try to avoid glancing down at her nightie some more) and was currently attempting to get Jane to wake out of her mini coma.

“C’mon, Jane! Your hunk needs you!” She yelled brazenly as she gave a few more loud knocks.

Finally, a very annoyed Jane opened the door slightly, enough to show her glare to Darcy. “What.” She said flatly.

“I dunno what he wants. Don’t shoot the messenger, _ damn _. Just get ready and come out.” Jane was shutting the door before Darcy quite finished the last word.

Darcy gave Thor a look as she headed towards the dining hall to grab a bite of breakfast. “All yours, man. Good luck.” She couldn’t help but chuckle once she was out of his earshot.

Darcy sat herself next to Sif, who was currently talking quietly with Fandral and Volstagg. Hogun was standing near the balustrade, looking characteristically grim.

“Hey guys, how’d it go with the late-night visitors?” Darcy asked as she began filling her plate.

Sif seemed to briefly consider not answering Darcy, glancing at her two companions before finally responding. “They are locked up for now. There has been no success in getting any answers from them, however.”

“Bummer,” Darcy said thickly as she chewed some sort of Asgardian pastry that she was growing more and more fond of.

“I never thought I would say such a thing,” Fandral began. “But I must - in this case - agree with Loki. I know not what came over Thor to think of risking a Healer’s safety in order to save the life of a Dark Elf.”

Darcy shrugged. “My dude’s developed a soft spot for living things. You can thank Jane and probably a few of the Avengers for that.” She helped herself to some new food laid out that looked unfamiliar but smelled like bacon.

Fandral looked unsatisfied with her answer, but dropped the matter. 

"Why were you cloaked with Loki?" Sif asked warily.

Darcy took her time swallowing before answering. "I heard a loud noise and came out to see what happened. He was already there and just quickly hid us both before the Elves could see." Darcy stuffed her face again as if to excuse herself from any further explanation.

Sif eyed her for a moment before turning back to Fandral. "They likely want revenge. Thor needs extra protection."

"Thor hardly needs it," countered Fandral. "And I think they also may be under an assumption that we still somehow have the Aether."

"It vanished when Thor killed the leader," Darcy chimed. "As it was mid-transfer from Jane."

"That ancient power could not simply vanish," Volstagg said dismissively. "It entered someone or something nearby."

Darcy was frowning now, uneasy about how little she or even Jane or Thor seemed to apparently know on the matter. 

"Thor and Jane both said it seemed to vanish," Darcy pointed out. "Why would that be?"

"Because it was likely stolen." Came Odin's voice suddenly. Everyone but Darcy seemed to straighten their posture.

"By whom?" asked Fandral.

"That is the key question," Odin answered emptily. "I need to speak with our unwelcome guests. Any of you may join." He pointedly only addressed the three that weren't Darcy. "But I will lead this interrogation."

"Of course, Allfather," they all said jumbedly. 

"Hopefully they're more cooperative than last night," Fandral commented lowly as they all made to leave. 

Hogun seemed to notice them for the first time as they followed Odin, and he swiftly joined them. Darcy continued to stare blankly after them, still stuck on the disturbing possibility that someone had stolen the powerful substance that Jane had described. 

“Darcy, a word?” Thor suddenly called as he approached, Jane at his side.

“Already need me again? Jane still cranky?” Darcy teased, ignoring the subtle look of displeasure from Jane.

“Our discussion led to an...unpleasant idea,” Thor said with grave seriousness. “You should come with us to find my father and assist in sorting it out.”

“Your father is in the prisons questioning the intruders. Also, _ me _ ? What am _ I _supposed to offer?” Darcy’s confusion was evident in her rising pitch.

“What you have already told me...Odin will have more questions once we come to him with this.” 

“About Loki?” Darcy began to clue in. “Odin already settled that with him supposedly, right?”

“Hardly.” Thor gestured for Darcy to come with them.

Jane was eyeing Darcy in a way that was beginning to become unwantedly familiar. “Who told you that he’d already settled it?” She finally voiced her suspicion as they headed towards the prisons.

“Loki did,” Darcy answered flatly. “When we were in the corridor, just after the prisoners were taken,” she quickly added.

“My father is likely suspecting the same thing we are,” Thor stated.

Darcy looked at him with genuine puzzlement. “Suspecting what?”

No one answered as they descended the steps to the prison. Darcy couldn’t help but stare at the magically glowing force fields that made up the cell walls, now understanding how it had been possible to keep Loki locked in one of these.

Odin was questioning the apparent lead Elf with every bit of authority that his impressive voice contained. Everyone but Fandral was studying the questioned Elf intently; Fandral looked with disgust towards the weakened Elf that sat in the corner.

“What did you expect to accomplish? I do not believe even a Svartálfar would be arrogant enough to expect to be able to penetrate any of our defenses with only five of you.” Odin was almost spitting with intense distaste at having to question this being.

“It took only five to arrive within your palace walls before we were detected,” gloated the Elf. “More will join, and you will not be able to keep us from vengeance!”

“You are lying! If more were serving your command, you would have stormed together all at once. No one could think this little trickle of soldiers would be effective.” Odin closened till he was almost pressed against the force field. “I think you are only one pathetic, small group of childishly begrudged failures.” He seemed to take pleasure with the Elf’s scowl.

“It is no use interrogating these creatures,” Fandral whispered to Odin.

“What is it, Thor?” Sif was the first to take notice of the newcomers, immediately honing in on Thor’s worried expression.

“We must speak with my father.” Thor answered, looking towards Odin.

Odin gave a lingering glare towards the imprisoned Dark Elf before turning to his son, studying him now to assess how urgent the matter might be. 

“What is the trouble, my son?”

“We should speak somewhere secure,” Thor replied meaningfully.

They all regrouped in the Strategy Room, secured through magical enchantments to ensure no one could spy through any means. Everyone but Thor seemed to be eyeing Jane and Darcy as if wondering why they should be joining them. Darcy wanted to tell them she felt exactly the same way about her own presence there.

“Father, I do not wish to imprison Loki again unless it is deemed absolutely necessary. But...I fear we have all arisen to the same suspicion: he may have somehow taken the Aether.” Thor sounded as grave as his expression looked.

Darcy stifled the gasp of understanding that threatened to escape her. _ The vial, _ she thought.

“I have thought so as well,” Odin said somberly.

“Your Majesty,” Sif swiftly chimed in, face full of worry. “If there’s a chance of this, he _ must _ be stopped. You must force it from him and lock him up just as you had with the Tesseract. There is just no other way to ensure safety.”

“You deem my son a threat to us?” Odin asked, expression unreadable.

Sif canted her chin upwards with confidence. “I do. With great reason.” The Warriors Three each nodded in agreement.

“Loki is a wayward soul,” Odin conceded. “The Fallen Prince - he has not yet fully redeemed himself of such a title. But I have seen the love that he still has for Asgard. Even having the ancient power of the Aether in his possession, he has returned home, risking re-imprisonment. After _ also _ risking his life to save his brother.”

“You seem...unconcerned that he should wield such power, Father?”

Odin stared at Thor in silence for a long moment, face still unreadable. Finally, without taking his eye off of his son, he commanded everyone else. “Leave us.” 

Jane seemed hesitant as she stood with the others, and Thor took her hand to reseat her. Odin shook his head at the gesture. “This is strictly family,” Odin said flatly.

“She _ is _ family, Father.” Thor insisted.

“It’s alright,” Jane offered, looking back and forth between her love and his father. “I can go.”

Darcy lingered by the doorway longer than the other four, now suddenly very curious how Odin would handle this situation.

“Agreed,” Odin said thoughtfully towards his son.

As she slipped out, Darcy couldn’t help but smile as she thought, _ Guess he finally realized that Thor would tell her everything anyway. _

As soon as the door shut, Odin’s expression grew considerably darker. “Do you remember the prophecy of Ragnarok, my son?”

Thor nodded gravely and looked at Jane’s confused expression. “Do you know of it, Jane?”

“I think I’ve heard of it...like some sort of Norse Armageddon? End of all things,” Jane quickly clarified as she realized they might not understand the analogy.

“Indeed.” Odin was the one to answer. “There are several versions of the prophecy, varied in specificity and detail. The one we - your mother and I - have kept from our children is the one that specifies the _ beginning _ of Asgard’s fall. It was the version that the witches foresaw.” He paused, as if momentarily reconsidering this discussion altogether. “It states that Loki will set forth the beginning of events which would lead to our destruction. It foretells that Loki is the one to set Ragnarok in motion.”

Thor seemed to show incredulity and anger all at once. Jane’s mouth dropped open before she even realized it.

“But...Father...you just said that he loves Asgard. That you are sure of it.” Thor’s confusion was openly showing.

“Yes. My surety comes from the discussion I had with your brother when I confronted him last night. I chose to tell him of the details of this prophecy.” His eye seemed to gaze to some distant thought. “Prophecies can be tricky things. Their interpretation can be the very cause of their fulfillment, while keeping them entirely secret can be just as dangerous.” He re-focused on Thor. “I chose not to confront Loki about the Aether. If he has it, he has it, and the first sign of danger to his freedom would cause him to use it. He would leave, and distance himself from us once again. The only chance for altering this particular prophecy is in embracing his loyal side. In trusting in his love. Your mother always believed in Loki’s heart, unfailingly. I never agreed to her great wish to discuss this with him. Until now. She had ever so much faith that, in warning Loki of where his dark paths could lead, he would take great lengths to avoid such a path.”

“So…” Jane chimed in apprehensively. “He now knows that it’s been foretold that he could destroy everything. He has this idea in his head now. Loki, the God of Mischief, who has been emotionally unstable and power-hungry for years.” Jane grew more and more indignant with each word, forgetting her initial tentativeness. 

Thor was now frowning deeply. “Father, what did he say to you last night?”

“You share the same concerns as your betrothed?” Odin sounded genuinely curious. 

Thor gave a slow, short nod. 

“Yes, you are both wise,” Odin responded thoughtfully. “You think with logic and caution, much as I. Frigga, however, was often led by matters of the heart. Of intuition and feeling. And by the mystical elements she had learned so much of from the witches she was raised by. Together, the decisions that ruled Yggdrasil were more balanced than the Realms had ever known. With her gone, I now must strive to think as she did to harmonize my own considerations.”

Thor’s frown had only marginally let up. Jane could tell he wasn’t voicing a lasting concern he still had. 

“Your brother and I came to agree on one thing last night - that no source of power, no battle or personal vendetta, no loved or prized thing should ever be valued high enough to risk the safety of our ancient realm.”

“He verbally agreed about all that, but recent actions suggest he would likely have difficulty living by that philosophy,” Jane countered.

“Loki was the one who said those exact words,” Odin stated. “Every word was stated with passion and without ire.”

“Father, I will continue to strive to keep my brother in check. My heart wishes to believe all this as much as you do, I assure you, but Jane is right to stay uncertain. We will still be prepared, will we not?”

“Indeed, my son. You are the strongest keeper of peace I have come to know.” He gave a small smile of pride to his heir.

The three sat in silence for another moment. Odin broke the silence by quietly mentioning that he must return to the prisons to continue getting to the bottom of the small invasion. Thor and Jane both looked uneasy as they exited the room.

Darcy had decided to wait for them outside, finding herself in a rare form of feeling invested on several levels.

“You guys look like that didn’t go super great,” she commented as they emerged.

“I fear my father is weakening. He is perhaps coming to his twilight years, spurred on by the loss of my mother.” The heaviness in Thor’s voice hit Darcy like a sobering block of ice.

“And I think he’s afraid of Loki.” Jane was full of worry as she voiced the thought aloud.

Darcy wanted to scoff, but Thor’s lack of disagreement or correction with the theory was troubling. “What? _ Really? _” She looked back and forth between the two of them. “The Allfather has started to just, what, cow to his adopted son all of the sudden?”

“I think you should know what you’ve walked into, Darcy,” Jane said thoughtfully before looking questioningly towards Thor.

“Yes, perhaps she should be aware of the extent of this. Swear her to secrecy by any means you can,” he told Jane, as if Darcy weren’t right there. “I feel I must go help with the interrogation.”

“K, I’m _ here _, by the way,” Darcy shot sarcastically after him. She was fully pleased to see him turn back with a soft grin her way.

“Let’s go talk in your room,” Jane mumbled as she turned to walk down the corridor.

Darcy was still frowning at her by the time they got to her chambers. They sat at the foot of the bed as Jane took a deep breath and told her everything she had just learned. Darcy looked almost unaffected with the information, except for the slow widening of her already large eyes. By the time Jane stopped, they were saucers.

“Okayyyyy,” Darcy drew out the word as she fully processed everything. “So, Odin really _ is _ scared of Loki. More so now that he likely possesses the Aether. So he’s kinda just... giving up on the whole imprisoning approach and trying out what the former queen would have philosophized? Aaaand _ you _ think that everything is gonna go up in flames soon as a result.”

“Basically.” Jane eyed her friend as if worried she would start freaking out but Darcy was merely nodding.

“Yep, okay, I think I pretty much get the gist of the situation. We should probably...go home, yeah?”

Jane looked suddenly weary. “You certainly can. And probably_ should _ at this point. But...it’s not that simple for me. I’m in too deep, and honestly, I don’t even _ want _ to leave at this point. I just want to be useful enough to help Thor when…”

“Shit hits the fan?” Darcy finished helpfully. The two let out soft chuckles before sobering quickly. Darcy let out a long sigh before voicing her thoughts. “I don’t think I’m going anywhere. I know I probably should, and a part of me seriously wants to peace-out, but I can’t imagine just leaving on this cliffhanger. I want to know you guys are going to be ok.”

“Are you sure? Darcy, this is not exactly turning out to be the week I had thought it would be when we brought you.”

“Yeah, no shit,” _ If you only knew the extent of it, _ she thought wryly. “But seriously though, how worried am I gonna be without any closure? Not to mention, I’d like to avoid the interrogation I’d get back on Earth.” Her light comment was mostly an attempt to cover the inner addition of _ ‘also I am rapidly growing more and more drawn to the very being you’re fearing right now’ _.

Jane had to chuckle. “We’re talking about invading beings and ancient powers and possibilities for Ragnarok to begin, and you’re worried about some intense questioning?”

“I mean, between Stark and Fury, it could _ seriously _ get worse than any of that. Taunts, reprimands, ‘why didn’t you insist Thor lock his psycho brother up?’ type questions.” Darcy shuddered exaggeratedly. “And that’s just the Stark part.” She grinned hopefully, ever faithful to her unspoken duty of lightening the mood.

Jane gave a small smile in return. “I have to admit, I’ll be glad to have you around as long as I can selfishly get away with. But don’t let that make you hesitate to leave.” She gave her a quick side hug before standing. “I think I’m going to go see if I can’t get the whole apple-picking show on the road.”

“Oh shit, is that tonight?”

“It’s not supposed to be for another two nights, but I want to strongly suggest hurrying the important things along. Get my mortality out of the way so that Thor won’t be distracted by my vulnerability at all should he need to...take care of anything suddenly.”

Darcy considered revisiting the ‘are you sure’ conversation with her friend, thinking that such decisions shouldn’t be even more hastened than they already were, but held back. _ What’s a couple extra days when we’re talking about a several thousand-year expansion? Hopefully that long, anyways… _ Darcy forced herself to desist that next train of thought.

Several seconds after Jane’s exit, Darcy saw the flash of green light out of the corner of her eye. She took a deep breath before turning to face Loki, now visibly sitting at the head of the bed.

“I really should have just thrown stuff all around the room when we entered,” Darcy said, annoyance heavily apparent in her tone. “Or better yet, just suggested Jane’s chamber instead.”

“I think it only fair that I get to hear what everyone’s saying about me.” Loki’s obvious amusement only deepened Darcy’s displeasure. “That way, you won’t even have to feel guilty about all of this gossip.”

Darcy let out a sigh as she stood to fully face him, arms crossed defensively. “This is a _ bit _ heavier than gossip. Or is that the Asgardian slang term for grim prophecies?”

Loki slowly swung a leg off the bed, standing and sauntering up to her without wavering his locked gaze from her face.

“Do you finally fear me, Darcy?” He asked with a deeply menacing tone that was belied by the tinge of amusement left in his expression.

Darcy stood in silence for a long moment, searching his face as she internally searched her own thoughts. She believed every word that Jane had said, and yet, somehow, she simultaneously doubted the urgency behind them. She couldn’t place the exact reasoning, but she was continuing to fail to feel any real fear for this man before her, even now.

The thought was unsettling. 

Loki seemed to read her thoughts. He chuckled dryly before voicing her answer for her. “You still do not.” 

Fighting her urge to deny his inference, Darcy found her breathing grow uneasy as she realized she couldn’t convincingly do so. She felt even worse with the creeping question as to why he seemed so fixated on her own lack of fear.

Before she could come up with what to say, Loki leaned over to whisper, “Why do you think that is?” His eyes were boring into hers, expression still touched with amusement. 

“I don’t know,” she confessed at last, still breathing a little too irregularly.

Loki smiled a little as he seemed to find her truthful. “Such a fascinating feeling - to not be able to find your own reasoning for something.”

Darcy was not expecting that response. “Is that relatable or something?” 

His responding laugh was quiet and mirthless, almost a rough cackle. “Oh my dear Darcy, you have no idea.”

“Enlighten me.” Darcy’s annoyance was beginning to renew, overcoming any unease. 

He almost glared at her for her inquisitiveness, but decided on humoring her. “My feelings toward Asgard, for example,” he finally replied. “I both hate and love being here. It has always been my home, and yet somehow it has also never really been. I thought when I discovered that I was actually Jotun, that I had finally figured out why that was. But that wasn’t really the issue. And I’ve still yet to fully understood why.”

_ Because you’re crazy, _ Darcy reflexively thought. She quickly, however, receded the conclusion. _ Look who’s talking _, she chided herself.

“And then there’s my draw to you,” Loki continued, smirking as Darcy frowned up at him with confused surprise. “It makes no sense, really - no matter how much I justify it.” He leaned down until their foreheads almost touched.

Darcy swallowed thickly. “Yeah, I guess I can relate to that part.” Her voice was almost a whisper.

They hovered in that tantalizing proximity a few more moments, before Darcy surprised them both by closing the gap. Her lips were on his with a sense of passion that came flooding back, as if they had never been interrupted many hours before. She couldn’t help but smile against him as she realized she had caught him by surprise. 

“Did I ...finally...catch you off guard?” She asked brokenly between kisses.

“Since I first laid eyes on you,” he replied breathlessly, causing her to pull away slightly, trying to find out if he were serious. 

It was his turn to grin as he regained his usual control of the situation, resuming their lip-lock before Darcy could fully comprehend his response. He slid his hands around her waist and savored the soft sigh the action drew from her, the feel of her warmth beneath his hands seeming to melt into him. His mouth slowly lowered its attentions down her jaw and neck. Darcy’s hands were entangled in his hair as he lasciviously kissed her collarbone. 

_ No, _ said an inner voice within her. _ What are you doing? _

Darcy’s eyes flickered open, the intoxicating haze beginning to lift. She may not be afraid of this man, but she certainly didn’t trust him. Now less than ever. And that fact had to win over this insane desire. It just _ had _ to.

“Loki,” Darcy struggled to find some strength in her voice, still not unaffected by his lips on her skin. “Do you have the Aether?”

He leaned back up so fast it almost made her dizzy. His expression was suddenly guarded, the look in his eyes the only thing revealing just how much he disliked her abrupt buzz-kill. He dropped his hold of her and backed up in one languid step.

“Is that what you’re doing? Trying to lower my defenses for an interrogation?” His voice was wary and full of resentment.

“No, Loki.” Darcy suddenly regretted her own inner battle, very much displeased with the sudden lack of physical contact. _ Yep, I am the crazier one, _ she internally decided. She drew a deep breath. “I just...there’s just too much surrounding us now. Surrounding you. I can’t even begin to wrap my brain around all of this. Can’t you understand? I’m not even afraid of you - after everything I’ve seen and heard - because of how strong whatever this _ damn _ thing between us is becoming. It’s freaking me out.”

Loki eyed her, expression shifting from careful to wondering. “You truly are the most foolish human,” he commented softly, a wry grin tugging at his mouth.

“Duh,” Darcy stated impatiently. “And you are still avoiding my question.”

The trace of humor on Loki’s face was gone as quickly as it had appeared. But he no longer looked guarded either. He was softer. Almost regretful.

“Darcy, you do not understand everything that’s at stake here. I cannot give you simple answers because nothing is simple anymore.”

“That sounds like a cop-out,” Darcy blurted. She had no intentions of being silenced by just being told that she ‘didn’t understand’. At Loki’s look of confusion of her statement, she reiterated, “You’re just making excuses to leave me in the dark. Because you don’t trust me, or you just don’t even want to bother. And you know what? I get it. But at least own up to it.”

He smiled at this. “Now _ that _ I can understand.” He moved forward, retracting the backwards step he’d taken. “And I will ‘own up to it’. To the truth that I honestly do not wish for you to be harmed through the knowledge that I am burdened with.” He held her chin in his thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up to his. “But I actually _ do _ trust you. Another oddity to tally with the many others about you.”

He leaned in to kiss her, much more gently than he yet had.

Darcy briefly wondered if he was purposefully distracting her with more physical contact, before deciding that she really couldn’t bring herself care at the moment. His words had melted her as much as his touch. The voice in her head still made an attempt, now muffedly telling her from the back of her mind that she was far too easy. _ I know, _ she responded to herself. _ But I can hardly blame me - this damn god is just too irresistible. _

Their kiss had just started to deepen and pick up where it had left off when the knock at the door came. Darcy audibly groaned as they separated their lips.

“Yes?” She couldn’t keep her irritation from coloring her voice. Loki gave her an amused grin.

“Darcy?” Sif’s voice sounded a bit taken aback at the irritability. 

Darcy and Loki both raised their eyebrows at each other in surprise. Then Loki disappeared.

“What’s up?” Darcy was saying as she opened the door, ridding herself of any leftover sign of annoyance.

Sif still wore surprise on her face. “I...I thought I should tell you that we are re-grouping. Odin and Thor were able to draw a bit of information from one of the Elves.”

“Oh. Thank you for, um, thinking of me.”

“Of course. You’ve been dragged into much in your short time here, and I see no reason to suddenly put you in the dark.”

Darcy nodded, briefly musing that Sif likely knew what it was like to be left out in a way. She made to follow Sif to wherever everyone was apparently regrouping. They had barely entered the corridor before Loki appeared at Sif’s side.

“Hel! You _ Bilgesnipe _!” Sif hissed. “Where did you even come from? Lurking and watching from the shadows?”

“I was already nearby,” Loki replied with a smirk. His expression grew positively wicked as he caught Darcy’s embarrassed shock at his bluntness.

“Why?” Sif eyed him with her usual suspicion. 

“Because I’m stalking you, Sif. You should know by now that I find you absolutely irresistible.”

Sif shook her head in disgust.

“I can only assume you had meant to include me in this,” Loki continued casually. “Seeing as I brought one of the intruders down myself.”

“You may come, but try to keep your mouth as shut as possible.” Aggravation was obvious in Sif’s tone. “Where _ did _ Thor keep that wonderful muzzle he had used on you?” She smirked with pleasure as Loki rolled his eyes.

They entered yet another new room for Darcy. It was much less ominous than the dungeon, vault, or even the Strategy Room. Runes and designs etched into every piece of stone and marble in the floors and walls, gold-framed furniture circling a centerpiece that reminded Darcy of an unlit fire pit. An open archway led to a large balcony off to one side, letting in the warmth of the daylight. Odin stood before it, facing outwards in apparent reverie. Thor and the Warriors Three were huddled in conversation nearby. Darcy barely even noticed Jane in the corner behind them, their height towering in front of her as she appeared to be studying some sort of chart.

“Have we missed anything?” Loki said lightly. “Did the Dark Elves confess to simply taking a wrong turn somewhere?”

No one paid him any attention, aside from the slight exhale of a chuckle from Darcy that didn’t escape his notice. 

“They were on a mission of vengeance,” Thor announced to the newcomers. “The leader is apparently Malekith’s younger brother. He mainly just wants my head.” He explained it away as though the Dark Elf had merely asked for a meal.

“It seems unlikely that more will join him.” Odin chimed in as he finally turned towards the rest of the room. “However, a larger threat is much more likely now.”

_ Why does he pause for dramatic effect like that, _ Darcy thought annoyedly. _ Just tell us. _

“What is it?” Loki asked, though from his suddenly intensified tone it seemed he already had a strong guess.

“One of the Elves, the one you injured,” Fandral began to answer. “Appears to have some extra gifts. Particularly for sensing things like...the Aether. Once they got nearer to it, he knew it was here in the palace.”

Everyone was now eyeing Loki with varied expressions. Thor and Odin were somber and otherwise unreadable. The Warriors and Sif all wore suspicion and resentment. Jane looked up from whatever she had been looking at, looking as though she hoped there had been some mistake. 

Only Darcy seemed slightly betrayed. Loki looked at her with curiosity, finding it interesting that she somehow was not surprised and yet was still able to have any sense of betrayal. _ I just got through explaining to her that there was too much to tell, _ he thought. _ What more could she expect? _

“Son, you must leave it under the vault’s safety.” Odin’s command was much more soft than his usual norm.

“The vault already contains the tesseract. It would be unwise to keep them so close together. Moreover, I am a much more appropriate guard for this than a pathetic vault.”

“Brother, tread lightly.” Thor warned, weariness in his voice now.

“Imprison him!” Sif demanded as she raised her spear. “Force him to give it up. There is no longer any question; he has betrayed us once again, Allfather.” Her tone quickly turned into a much more humbled plea than the first blurted demand. 

“Loki will place it in the vault, won’t you son? Your brother and I will accompany you.” Odin paced across the room to beckon Loki and Thor to follow him out. 

Everyone else stood staring after them as they left.

“He can’t be serious?” Sif asked the room incredulously. “Surely Odin must be as furious as we all feel towards that sneaky bastard.”

“I think there may be more to it than that,” Jane offered softly, trying to cool the situation. “But first thing’s first. Do we know for sure there are no more Dark Elves coming? How did those even get here? According to these charts, there should be no chance of any type of convergence right now.”

“They were already hiding here,” Hogun spoke up. “Since the Convergence of the nine realms. Both Heimdall and Odin’s ravens have searched the far corners for any further signs. Strict interrogation also eventually led to their denial of any more being present.”

“Okay,” Jane said slowly with a thoughtful sigh. “Then it sounds like the Aether will be safe from their hands, right?”

“Loki was right to worry about the Tesseract being so close,” Volstagg said. “We now have the allure of two infinity powers right here. It will attract perhaps darker powers than the Svartálfar.” Jane shuddered at his words. “However, it is perhaps just as concerning that Loki himself is already here, near such powers.”

“Would he not have already begun wielding them by now if he were planning to do so?” Fandral questioned.

“Who knows what that weasel is up to,” Sif countered dismissively. “What we _ do _ know is that he had stolen the Aether and has been hiding it since Svartalfheim.”

“Perhaps he has already begun using it in secret,” Hogun said thoughtfully. “He knows ways of hiding from Heimdall that none of us do.”

“He hasn’t done anything because he loves his family,” Jane blurted. Everyone’s eyes were now on her. “Look,” she sighed. “I am definitely no friend to Loki. But I can see that he cares for his brother. He always has, but he’s less conflicted about it now. And he loves Asgard.” Darcy could tell Jane was essentially channelling the earlier discussion now, loyally defending her future in-law’s take on things.

“His one weakness was Frigga,” argued Fandral. “And she is no longer here to offer that reining-in of his power, Valhalla rest her soul.”

“No, Lady Jane is right,” Sif said thoughtfully. “Loki at least loves his brother. Waveringly so, mixed with anger and resentment, but it is still truly there.”

“Right, so we have an unpredictable madman,” Fandral began with biting sarcasm in his voice. “Who can easily gain access to two of the most ancient, absolute sources of power. And it all hangs on the balance of the back-and-forth feelings he has for his brother. Fantastic.”

“It is disconcerting that he seems to have less and less weaknesses,” Hogun agreed.

“I think there’s another.” Sif was suddenly much more quiet than she had been mere seconds ago. Everyone now frowned towards her. “My suspicions...have only been fed more and more,” she continued as she turned to Darcy, who had remained carefully quiet throughout the dysfunctional discussion. 

Darcy took a moment to realize what Sif might be driving at, but as realization dawned she began to slowly shake her head. “No. _ Nope _ . You have whatever you’re thinking _ totally _ wrong.” Darcy stammered with genuine nervousness. Nervousness of what everyone was going to try and draw out of her now. Nervousness that Sif was right. Or maybe that she was _ wrong _.

Currently everyone was still eyeing Sif as if she had lost her mind. 

“Oh you _ must _ have seen it too, Jane.” Sif implored after a long silence. “The attention Loki constantly shows your friend. And last night, I saw him uncloak _ both _ of them. They were together, and he was _ protecting _ her.”

Jane shifted her eyes to Darcy, who was again shaking her head.

“No,” Darcy said more insistently this time. “It was just convenient for him to cloak both of us. I would have just as easily given away _ his _ position as my own. And the only attention he pays me is for sheer entertainment. He likes bugging me.” She raised her hands to gesture emphatically. “That’s _ all _.” 

“Regardless of whether or not your hunch is accurate,” Fandral said to Sif. “What exactly was your point? That we use Darcy as an advantage should we need Loki to have a weakness?”

Darcy’s eyes widened. Jane shot a reprimanding look toward Fandral.

“I am merely clarifying,” Fandral defended shamelessly.

“I was _ not _ saying that,” Sif answered finally. “I just think we should be prepared for all possibilities surrounding this...potentially dangerous man. _ Probably _ dangerous man.” 

“How is all of this relevant?” Jane was still frowning as she asked. “Just keep an eye on the guy. Leave Darcy out of this. And,” she added with an uneasy sigh. “Maybe help Thor out in making sure that Odin is okay. He is really worried about him.”

They all gave fervent nods before making way to exit. Darcy couldn’t help but appreciate the fact that Jane was already slipping into her future role as an authoritative figure.

Sif lagged behind. Much to Darcy’s dismay, she turned to speak to her exclusively.

“I am sorry I brought up doubt towards you. I can assure you that was not my ultimate intention. But the fact is, Loki must be made as transparent as possible right now. As long as Odin remains uncharacteristically lenient and weakened.”

“Yeah, about all of that,” Darcy sighed, deciding exactly how to put her advice. She was not used to giving serious advice, but this situation was calling for it. Loudly. “I would just kinda...keep my distance from your suspect for a while, if I were you. Just don’t try to trigger Loki right now. And tell your dudes the same.”

Sif frowned. “You are worried he will grow too violent and lash out?”

“Something like that.”

Sif seemed to consider the possibility for a moment. “I would not worry, Darcy. I am sure you will not come to any danger during your stay.” She turned to leave. 

Darcy shook her head in defeat. _ Not what I meant at all. _ She let out another sigh just as Thor approached Jane, turning towards her on his way.

“Anything troubling you, Darcy?” He asked.

“Nothing new since the past ten minutes,” she mumbled as she made to leave. She refused to acknowledge the very distinct feeling of both their eyes still on her as she walked out. 

_ This visit was not supposed to bring so much attention on me, _ Darcy thought. _ What the hell am I doing? _

Her thoughts were still mulling around as a spontaneous urge surfaced. To walk back to that beach and have a moment of peace. The idea momentarily cheered her, and she suddenly couldn’t wait to get away from everybody.

~~

Loki knew it was unlikely that Thor or Odin truly believed he was placing the _ real _Aether in the vault. Even as they watched on, he noticed Thor looking uneasily between his father and brother, unsure of what to do.

_ Fool, _ Loki thought. _ That will always hold you back, brother - your abstract sense of what is right and wrong. Never following your own instincts or gut feelings. _Even as Loki thought it, he knew that wasn’t entirely true. But compared to himself, it was true enough.

The three exited the vault, Loki the only one with a look of contentment rather than the looks of disquiet that his companions wore. 

Thor in particular showed his inner turmoil. He seemed to momentarily battle through it as he turned to Loki. “I would hope to see you tonight, brother. Jane will be performing the Idunn ritual.”

Loki’s eyebrows raised at this. “You wish _ me _ there? I’m...honored.” He struggled to say the right word, torn between the agitation of yet another gathering over this woman and the genuine inclusion that Thor was offering. 

Thor gave a weak smile, still partially unsure of what exactly he should do about his wayward brother, but pleased with his answer all the same. Odin nodded silently towards them both as he made his way to the Allfather Chamber.

“It will be an intimate affair, I presume?” Loki asked hopefully. Less people meant less opportunity for mischief, but it also meant for a likely more fast-paced event.

“It is. Only us four.” Thor looked as if he wanted to say something else, but thought better of it, giving a quick pat on his shoulder as he went to find Jane. 

Loki made sure no one was in sight before vanishing from where he stood. He had much to take care of before tonight’s ritual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The bit about Loki being responsible for Ragnarok is part of Norse mythology, by the by.
> 
> Huge thank you to all kudo-givers and commenters! You keep me going!!


	8. Chapter 8

  
The positioning of the sun was Darcy’s only clue that hours had passed. She briefly worried that she was meant to be joining Jane for whatever ritual tonight held, but decided that she likely would have been told before now if that was the case. The afternoon grew late as her path along the beach gave way to rocky terrain, then to hills that gradually led into the forests. Darcy breathed in the enchanting smells of the wood with satisfaction. Momentarily she was reminded of Central Park back on Earth. If Central Park were this clean and, well, mystical.

The sun was sinking deeply below the horizon before Darcy began to feel a slight worry. She knew it was likely hundreds of times more safe to be alone in these woods at night than almost anywhere on Earth - Heimdall’s watch alone ensured that, if nothing else. Still, it was unfamiliar. And unfamiliar creatures began crawling out from their hiding places. 

_ Okay, maybe I should call out for Heim-dude _ , she started thinking.  _ This is getting creepy. _

She was just about to open her mouth, taking a deep breath in preparation to yell, when she noticed her usual stalker sitting very still on a large boulder to her right.

“God, I should have known you’d show up sooner or later.” Darcy shook her head, refusing to let on how glad she was to see him at the moment.

“Yes, you should have. But you can call me Loki.” His wry grin was unredeemable. 

“Mhm. Be a pal and take me on back to the palace?” Darcy kept her tone casual, hoping that her fear of their surroundings hadn’t been obvious. His grin told her that it had. 

“So, you are afraid of some woodland creatures in a little darkness, yet the attacker of you homeworld fails to bring you any fear.”

“You say ‘fails’ as if you had been trying to scare me. How nice.” Darcy glared at him.

He stood from the boulder to stride over to her, eyes alight with renewed amusement. “You’d known if I had been.”

“How did you know I was here?” Darcy changed the subject.

“Lucky guess,” he transparently lied, smile deepening as Darcy rolled her eyes. “I believe the better question is  _ what _ are you doing here?” 

She shrugged. “I’ve been wandering around for like half the day. Much needed peace from all the...messes happening.” She gestured vaguely in the direction of the palace. 

“Oh? Are the Asgardians beginning to get to you?” Loki sounded both amused and genuinely curious.

“Kinda. I think we’ve drawn some...attention to ourselves. I normally couldn’t give a shit, but this situation is...extra tricky.” Darcy wasn’t sure why she was even starting to explain this to him.

Loki seemed to consider her words. “It bothers you that there are those who are beginning to associate you with me?”

“I mean, it’s not exactly the best timing. What with your...colorful recent history, and continuance of crossing the line with all of the stealing and such.”

“Mmm,” Loki made a sound of understanding. “I have appeared to put you somewhat in the middle of things, haven’t I?”

Darcy was eyeing him suspiciously now, wondering why he seemed to be so interested in her own worries.

“You believe it’s because I simply don’t care,” he now voiced one of the thoughts that was momentarily crossing her mind. He stared at her intently as he waited for a response. He smiled somewhat dryly as she finally nodded. “Well, you’re not entirely incorrect.” 

She looked as though she were holding her breath, anxious to hear some further clarification. He smirked at her unease. “I _ didn’t _ care. I had no second thoughts as to what would become of you as a consequence to my attentions.” Darcy swallowed thickly as she nodded, trying to appear unaffected.

“But,” he continued with a strange expression. “I have been growing...rather  _ less _ indifferent towards you. I can’t even begin to explain why.” 

She squinted at him now, almost forming a scowl. “Oh you  _ can’t _ , can’t you?” She repeated bitterly. “Or maybe you’re just trying to  _ silvertongue _ your way into getting me to trust you, pretending that you are being honest about starting to give a shit.” She glared up at him even harder as he grinned with obvious pleasure in her frustrated words. “Stop grinning like that, dammit. You  _ got _ me, alright? Get over yourself a little - it can’t be  _ this _ damn gratifying.” 

Loki moved forward and cupped her chin in his hand, bringing her eyes steadily up to better meet his in the closer proximity.

“I have ‘got’ you?” His eyes danced with the tauntingly undertoned question.

“You know what I mean.” Darcy’s exasperation was still present, but his touch had already begun to overcome it. She cursed herself internally for allowing him such power.

“I rarely do,” he replied with a humored smile.

Darcy turned away from his hand and sighed, looking back at him only when free of his physical contact. “You’re winning whatever game this is - I can admit that - and I have no intention of trying to push your buttons to fight back.  _ That’s _ what I mean.”

His eyes studied her intently. “I am winning you?”

Darcy frowned at this interpretation. “Why is  _ that _ what you think of? I said you’re winning this bizarre game.”

“This ‘game’ is centered around you,” Loki countered. “If I am truly winning at it, I would therefore be winning  _ you _ .”

“What, like as a prize?” Darcy’s exasperation started to rise again.

“Of sorts. But I can assure you, I mean it in no objectifying manner.”

Darcy scoffed. “ _ Sure _ . You _ literally _ just got through saying that you started everything without giving a damn about the outcome for me. I might not be a super ancient god, or a genius like Jane, but I am  _ not _ stupid. There’s no chance you’ve changed your mind this fast.”

Loki’s grin was back, taunting her even more with utter confidence. “I tend to change my mind quite frequently. And you are overthinking everything. Which is unlike you, normally, yes?” 

Darcy had no intention of letting him know how right he was, choosing to simply ignore his question with a renewed glare. She was not sure how this conversation had slipped so far out of hand. He had a knack for bringing out uncomfortable things.

He returned his hand under her face, this time tilting it up to meet him as he leaned down to her. He teasingly stopped just before his mouth met hers. 

“I promise that I could clear every worry from your mind,” he whispered.

Darcy’s breath hitched just before his lips came down on hers. She barely started kissing back, only to pull away after a few seconds, looking at him with unfaded incredulity. 

Amusement no longer showed on his face. He watched as she studied him, his eyes alight with the hint of promise that the night might hold for them. The starlight seemed to accentuate the preternatural beauty of his angular features.

"You're impossibly unfair," she breathed. "I should tase you for some of the things you just said. But it just melts away and now all I can think about is ravaging your insanely beautiful face and letting you do whatever the hell you want with me." Darcy’s usual lack of filter was proving to be worse than usual. She had Loki’s unworldly delicious lips to thank for that.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Am I to understand," he paused as he sensually stroked the side of her face, lowering his mouth to her ear to continue in a whisper, "that you want me to have my way with you now?"

Darcy shivered with the headiness of his soft tone and touch. His mouth was back on hers before she could respond. 

She could feel the growing desire through Loki’s eager lips as they parted to take in more of her luscious lips. A soft whimper emitted from her as he sucked at them. He seemed instantly energized by the sound, suddenly grabbing her arms to spin her around until she faced the other way. He pulled her against him, her backside pressing into his erection as he held her neck against his mouth to ravish it. He felt her deep moan as it reverberated against his lips, and a growl escaped him as his other hand tightened its grip across her abdomen. 

Darcy broke through the descending erotic fog just enough to realize that she was suddenly being lowered backwards. “What are you…?” she began to whisper.

“Just relax,” he said softly into her ear, sending a shiver over her. 

He sat leaning against the nearest tree, propping her back flush against him. His hand wandered down from her abdomen to slowly slide her skirt up. He rubbed along her inner thigh as his other hand slid inside her neckline to tease her nipple. She hissed a sharp breath at the surprisingly tender touch, momentarily overwhelmed as his other hand brushed against her core through her panties. One finger slipped under the seam, grazing her folds and drawing a loud whimper from her.

Both hands suddenly withdrew, causing her eyes to flutter open as he turned her to the side and cradled her into one arm, laying her torso across his lap. She was sure her wantonness was showing on her face as he looked down at her with pure pleasure at what he saw. His hand returned up her skirts, skimming the lining of her underwear once more.

“I want to watch you as I make you come undone,” he whispered raspily.

Her chest heaved in ragged breathing, a heady excitement now pulsating through her entire being. His hand slid back inside, middle finger caressing her opening, bringing a soft moan from her as he intently watched her face. He breathed out a low sound of satisfaction as his finger slid into her easily, her hips jutting slightly out to encourage more entry..

_ Gods, she is responsive _ , he thought hungrily. 

Darcy hummed with pleasure at the sound of his own ragged breathing, enjoying affected he was just as much as she was enjoying herself. She whispered a curse as she watched him momentarily raise his finger to his lips, closing his eyes as if savoring the taste of her as he slipped it into his mouth.

Then it was back inside inside her, his intense gaze into her eyes as steady as ever as a second finger joined the first. Along with it came a pulse, subtly yet unmistakably moving deeply into her. Her eyes widened as she gasped in overwhelmed surprise. 

“Was that…?” she breathed the beginnings of a question.

“A bit of magic,” he softly confirmed with a slight smirk.. 

Her breath hitched frantically as he sent a second vibration, slipping his fingers out over her clit immediately after. 

“Let yourself go for me, Darcy,” he whispered as his fingers intensified their work, drawing a throaty moan from her. 

He had her spasming over the edge seconds after speaking her name. She tightly gripped the fabric at his chest as a raw sound of passion escaped her lips. He held her closely against him, as if relishing the entire feel and view of it. As she fought to steady her breathing, he brought her up to him to land a soft kiss. She could feel his rising tension against her lips.

“Still afraid of the woods?” He teased with a smile against her mouth.

“I’m likely to get oddly turned on if I ever come back here,” she replied with a chuckle.

“Mmm,” he hummed his satisfaction with her answer. “I’ll take that as a job well done.”

“That was pretty obvious, I would think.” She grinned. Then her eyes widened with a sudden thought. “Could anyone have...heard or seen that?”

His responding chuckle only made her feel worse. “A bit late for caution. But no, it would be nearly impossible, since I have us cloaked.”

Darcy breathed a sigh of relief. She couldn’t help but briefly wonder if that had been entirely for her own benefit, thinking it unlikely that the God of Mischief would personally mind an audience.

She resumed their kiss, tonguing him lavisciously as she pulled him into her by the back of his neck. Her fingers tangled into his hair, gripping it with renewing desire.

“Your turn,” she breathed against his lips as she slid a hand down to the hardness pressed into her hip.

Loki caught her wrist just before she reached her destination. “Not tonight.”

Darcy’s frown was pure bewildered surprise. “What? Why?”

“Better to let your curiosity and desire build. Until you are  _ begging _ to please _ me _ .” His smirk showed nothing but certainty that it would happen.

“What?” Her voice rose with exasperated frustration. “That’s almost...cruel. Not to mention insanely presumptuous and overconfident.”

“Does that surprise you at all?” His tone was unrepentantly pleased with her obvious frustration. He made to kiss her again, snickering as she pulled away indignantly. “It’s already working. You are vexed with the inability to become the one empowered.”

“Not everything is about power,” she retorted with a glare. 

“Nevertheless.” He pulled her into him so she could no longer reject his mouth’s advancement on hers. She only fought against returning his kiss for a few seconds before giving in, internally chiding herself once again for being so easy for this man.

Darcy felt the ground shift and momentarily soften beneath her. The slight warmth in the air told her they were indoors. Her eyes opened to confirm that she was now on her bed, still wrapped up against Loki’s lap as he continued to explore her mouth. She pulled away to give him another dissatisfied scowl.

“Now we’re even in a nice big bed, and you’re still going to deny yourself release. Just for the sake of having some twisted advantage.”

“Anticipation is a most potent aphrodisiac.” His voice deepened with passion as he ran a finger over her lips.

Darcy’s stomach flipped a little. She quickly pressed her hand against his hardness before he could stop her this time. “You don’t  _ need _ an aphrodisiac,” she countered.

He chuckled raspily. “I was referring to  _ you _ .”

She removed her hand, rolling her eyes as she spoke. “Because you want me to get to the point of begging.” She sighed defeatedly, unwilling to perform said begging just yet.

Loki was grinning at her. “You do not quite want it enough just yet.”

Darcy scoffed, but couldn’t help but smile at his tenacity. She shuffled out of his lap, languidly lying down across her bed. She feigned an exaggerated yawn as her head hit the pillow.

“Alright then. I’ve had a long day of wandering around,  _ and _ was just brought to an explosive orgasm, so, if you don’t mind,” she turned onto her side dramatically and closed her eyes, “I’m going to get some shuteye.”

Loki let out a soft sound of amusement, fully satisfied with how obviously bothered she still was. He leaned in to brush her cheek with a kiss and give a playful nip on her earlobe before vanishing with a low chuckle. Darcy briefly opened her eyes to reassure that he was gone, re-closing them with a sigh.

_ Later, _ she promised herself as she let exhaustion wash over her.

~~

To say that he wasn’t also quite frustrated would be a falsehood. Loki had to admit that to himself as he appeared in the vault. He forced himself to immediately carry out his previous plans for the night as he fought to ignore the ache that threatened to grow from his neglected erection. His grip on the casket was much tighter than it needed to be. 

He poured all of his focus into unveiling his hidden vial, letting it float before him once again as his true form bled over his skin. His other hand caught the vial, opening it gracefully to let the Aether spill into his palm. It dissolved into him, spreading into his veins with a surge of absolute power that forced a gasp out of him. 

The feeling was intoxicating and exhilarating, nearly overwhelming him at first with the sheer potency of an ancient, pure piece of the universe blending into his own blood. He was able to come back down from the high of it just enough to remember the smaller goal of the night. To transform his Jotun DNA into Aesir. To truly become what he had grown up thinking he had been.

He watched with satisfaction as his blue skin turned back to ivory, even as he still held the casket. His first use of the reality stone proved successful, as both a test and as closure of the bitter rejection he had felt for his true heritage. He never intended on accepting himself as one of the repulsive monsters he had been raised to hate.

Now setting the blue box down, he turned towards the entirely different blue object in the distant corner. The only thing he had ever wanted even more than the Aether. He cradled it in one hand reverently, as if it contained something personally sacred to him. Quickly projecting an image of an exact replica in its place, he used it to send himself to the Sanctuary. 

He had unfinished business regarding a certain Titan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays everyone! :)


	9. Chapter 9

Darcy awoke with a sense of satisfaction still blanketed over her as she stretched her well-rested muscles. She smiled warmly and let the previous night’s memories wash through her mind. Admittedly, she was still a bit miffed at Loki’s insufferable insistence on toying with her. But she was also starting to doubt her own ability to ever stay mad at him. _ _

_ Damn him, _ she internally cursed the impossible god. 

She lazily rose from the bed, peeling off her very worn gown to head for a much needed shower. She tried not to think of Loki as she washed and dressed. She was still trying to not think of him as she headed down the hallway towards the dining hall. By the time she reached one of the breakfast tables, she had given up on her attempts and just let her obsession be.

“You look...cheery,” Jane commented as she eyed Darcy over her mug.

“Yeah? Hmm.” Darcy tried to sound casual. “I think I finally slept really well. You know, starting to get used to the new bed and surroundings and all,” she added quickly. Jane seemed satisfied enough with the response as she silently looked back down into her coffee.

And then Darcy finally remembered something that wasn’t Loki. 

“Wait!  _ Damn _ ! Didn’t you eat an Idunn apple last night?” She was immediately mentally chiding herself for forgetting about something so important.

“I did,” Jane started slowly. “It was an...interesting night. It started off surprisingly simple - there was a small interview held privately with Idunn and me, and then she performed a short ritual while I ate the apple with the King and Princes watching. For a moment I was worried, because it tasted so  _ normal _ . And I felt nothing. And then...well,” she rolled her eyes and gave a little sigh while Darcy frowned in confusion. “After a short second of Idunn looking befuddled at my lack of reaction, a certain Prince started muttering something about ‘maybe she’s not worthy afterall’.”

“God _ damn _ it,” Darcy mumbled.

“Yeah. Loki had switched it for a regular apple at the last minute. Big impish grin on his face as we all glared towards him. He finally revealed the real apple while complaining that we had no sense of humor.”

“I’m sure no one was particularly surprised, though?” Darcy guessed, shaking her head in exasperation.

“Of course not. But Idunn was the farthest from being amused. Apparently it’s supposed to be nearly impossible to mess with her apples without her sensing it. But anyway, we started over, and then I could instantly tell the difference with the real deal. I felt...energized. Strengthened, in a sense. But it was a fairly subtle effect, even still. Everyone seemed to be waiting for me to freak out or something. And then Idunn said my transformation was of the most graceful she’d ever witnessed.”

“Really?” Darcy couldn’t imagine an ancient goddess saying something like that lightly.

“Yeah, she almost seemed to suspect that I wasn’t entirely human or something.” Jane’s gaze grew distant as she recalled the intensity of the conversation.

“What? That’s...not possible though, right? Was there no other explanation?”

Jane shrugged slowly. “Idunn left promptly after mentioning it, and Loki seemed in a rush to be somewhere.” Darcy struggled to keep a poker face as the memory of exactly where he’d ‘rushed to’ sprung to mind. “But I asked Thor and Odin afterwards, and they suggested that it proved ultimate worthiness. They were both very pleased. Odin was almost insultingly surprised with the possibility.” She breathed a dry chuckle. “I personally have a feeling that it has to do with me having experience with the Aether. Like a part of me had gotten used to an ancient power within me, in some form.”

“And now you  _ are _ an ancient power, in a way. Or at least will be. That’s...something.” Darcy found herself in rare a form of being at a loss for any more words.

“Yeah.” Jane gave another shrug as if to brush off the subject. “Then I performed the bridal cleansing, after much insistent arguing that I do that part without any bridal servants.” She rolled her eyes at the memory, “And...now I guess I’m all ready for this evening’s nuptials.”

“You seem surprisingly calm with everything. Are you in shock?” Darcy chuckled softly.

“No, I don’t think so.” Jane shared the chuckle. “I think I’m just finally accepting everything. Maybe the Aesir have an easier time taking things in stride, and I am literally just more capable of accepting it now.” Her eyes seemed to grow distantly thoughtful once again.

“You’re still happy about it, though...right?”

“I am,” Jane answered with a smile. “At least about the marriage part, for sure. And I am at least no longer  _ apprehensive _ about my suddenly-lengthened life expectancy, but I still can’t tell for sure if I’m happy about it.”

Darcy nodded. Her next question began to bubble up, and she was blurting it out before she could stop herself.

“And how are you with the whole Aether/Loki and Dark Elves situations?”

Jane studied her friend now, searching her for any deeper reason behind the sudden subject change. 

“I am still worried,” she began carefully. “Which is not in the least bit helped by the fact that Thor seems just as concerned. Especially over the matter of his brother.”

Darcy shifted her gaze with sudden discomfort at how intense her friend’s scrutiny was becoming. “Well, the dude _ is _ unpredictable for sure, so I guess it’s understandable for Thor to worry..” Darcy knew she was stammering slightly as she tried to quickly get the words out. 

Jane gave her a squint of suspicion. “Unpredictable, yes,” she repeated thoughtfully.

Darcy tried to settle her own unease that came with the distinct feeling that Jane was now actually referring to her.  _ To be fair _ , _ I do perhaps deserve that adjective now too, _ Darcy mused.

Thor joined them momentarily, much to Darcy’s relief. Even when he was distraught, his sunny personality still managed to seep through and pleasantly interject tense situations.

“My Jane will now live for many centuries at my side!” he lovingly declared as he wrapped his arm around her. Jane smiled up at him, tiptoeing to plant a chaste kiss on his lips. 

“You two are far too cute,” Darcy accused fondly.

“You will have a break from witnessing our powerful bond today,” Thor said with a grin. “We are not to see each other throughout the day, not until the binding ritual.”

Jane rolled her eyes. “Of all the traditions to be similar to Earth’s, Asgard  _ would _ have the nonsensical ‘no seeing the bride before the wedding’ thing.”

Thor was still grinning as he landed a kiss against her temple before heading towards the front doors. 

“He seems cheerful enough,” Darcy commented.

“The wedding is definitely taking priority. He’s such a youthfully spirited guy,” Jane mused with a fond grin as she stared after him.

“He’s in love with you. Of course it takes priority.” Darcy surprised even herself with the mushy statement. 

Jane turned to grin at her, apparently pleased with the uncharacteristically sentimental comment. “It sounds as though I have your blessing.”

Darcy snorted a chuckle. “Yeah, go figure, right? It didn’t even come with a snide remark about the wedding night. Speaking of which…”

“Nope,” Jane held up a hand to stop her. “Keep the moment pure a second longer.”

Darcy rolled her eyes, but kept her wishes. “So what  _ is _ on the agenda today?”

“Nothing for a few hours, but eventually the bridal party gets some ‘spa’ time, basically.” Jane shrugged. “Overkill, on my part, since I just took an elaborate bath of sorts last night to ‘wash away my ending maidenhood’.” They shared a wry chortle. “But I guess today is about the bride and her accompanying maidens being presented in heightened beauty, or some archaic garbage.” 

Darcy made a point of sticking close to Jane the rest of the morning. Guilt kept creeping up at the thought of having forgotten about the Idunn ritual. She may not have been ‘worthy’ of inclusion, but it was far too significant of an event to have not been on her mind at least a little. Yet she hadn’t even thought of it since before running into Loki. Even in that first instant of sighting him, thoughts of the apple had slipped her mind. She hadn’t even asked Loki about it, even though he had come straight from there.

_ When did I start forgetting that the sole reason I’m here is for Jane? _ She couldn’t help but ask herself.

When Darcy and Jane eventually arrived at the Rejuvenation Room, Darcy quickly realized that ‘spa’ was too earthly a word for it. As with all things Asgardian, this room was over-the-top. Everything was golden and gossamer and ever so shiny. She noticed that even the climate of the room was somehow perfect, and the air smelled like a meadow with hints of rain. Luxurious beds were spaced out for each of them, warm linens draped generously across the tops. Near each bed stood a personal attendant. Darcy barely cared that she was told to be completely bare underneath the sheets; the impossibly soft warmth of them brought too much relaxation for any embarrassment to be possible. She was vaguely aware that even Sif was letting out a relaxed sigh as she settled into her own bed. 

Darcy’s attendant whispered for her to turn over, and she lazily complied. She then began what would be the best massage of Darcy’s life. Her muscles were melting almost as much as they had in the woods last night, right after...

Darcy instantly tensed as the thought surfaced. Her masseuse voiced a low ‘hmm’ in confusion at the sudden stiffening. Darcy attempted to relax, to focus once more on the skilled hands on her back, but she could only think of one particular set of skilled hands now. Her heart began to race as every sight, sound and touch of the previous night vividly flashed through her mind. Arousal threatened to make the situation even worse, and she hastily rejected the flood of memories.

“You are very tense,” the attendant whispered. “Is something wrong?”

“Nope,” Darcy quickly answered. “I’m fine, I just...was starting to anticipate the big event of tonight,” she finished lamely.

The lady didn’t respond, apparently satisfied enough with the explanation. She placed a hot towel across Darcy’s shoulders, reapplying more soothing oils that tingled across her back. Darcy was momentarily relaxing again, not daring to think about anything but every sensation happening in the moment.

After a long session, the bridal party was left alone for a moment before their attendants returned with warm robes for them while they shifted their beds into a sitting position. Darcy briefly wondered how exactly that was done without any apparent mechanical workings, but was quickly distracted by the bowl of chocolate dipped fruits placed on the stand beside her.

“They have  _ chocolate _ here? Why is the first I’m learning of this?” Darcy wondered aloud as she greedily dug in. She heard Sif and Jane both chuckle on either side of her.

“It’s not something we indulge in often,” Sif explained.

“Yeah, you guys have stronger willpower than me,” Darcy confessed as she started her second piece.

“Hide any more you may have in the palace,” Jane joked towards Sif. “This one will devour it all.”

Darcy shrugged. “Don’t hate on the chocoholic. It’s a very real condition.”

The attendants prepared several potions while the women ate, offering small flutes of champagne-looking liquids once the strawberries were gone.

“How am I ever going to be happy leaving this place?” Darcy mused humorously as she sipped the deliciously bubbly stuff. 

“Maybe you won’t have to,” Sif muttered almost inaudibly, earning an utterly confused frown from Darcy. Sif merely pretended she hadn’t said anything.

Darcy was still eyeing Sif when her attendant began gently rubbing her face with some warm mixture she had been making. It was lavender in both color and smell.

“This will add a youthful radiance to your skin tonight,” she explained at Darcy’s look of confusion. 

Darcy wanted to reject the idea that her already young skin would need such a thing, but it felt too good to care. The substance was left to dry while her attendant moved on to massaging her arms and hands with a silky lotion.

Everyone seemed to fall into easy silence as the treatments progressed. Potions were put into their hair, on their eyelids, a scrub over their legs and feet followed by a wonderfully cooling gel. Darcy stopped trying to figure out what the point of everything was and just let it happen as she felt herself start to feel almost godlike. She didn’t particularly relish in the irony of the fact that she was the only one left around that actually wasn’t.

Final touches were finished some hours later, and Darcy slowly came back to full awareness as she was gently pulled out of her bed. They were led to the chairs along the mirror in the corner. Hair and makeup were next apparently, and Darcy couldn’t help but check everyone out through the long mirror as the finishing touches were made. But her own reflection seemed to be the least recognizable. She looked more elegant than she ever remembered, although that admittedly hadn’t been a common countenance of hers. But the most stunning thing was her eyes. They seemed brighter and more energized than even her usual lively state showed. She couldn’t help but wonder if that was due to the spa or last night’s unbelievable amount of pleasure. Perhaps it was a combination.

Déjà vu teased Darcy’s mind as they were all led into the familiar room with the large wardrobe, now filled with all new gowns. This time, however, she actually had something in particular in mind. She bit her lip she selected the exact color she was looking for, knowing even as she did so that she should absolutely  _ not _ be this blatantly obvious. The gown was a rich emerald color, with thin vines of gold adorning the seems. Its silken off-shoulder straps met in a v-shaped neckline that plunged just low enough to only show a small bit of her considerable cleavage. It hugged her curves effortlessly, smoothly falling around her legs with one slit to the side. As Darcy stepped out from the changing divider, she could feel herself blush under Jane and Sif’s immediate gawkings. 

She was wearing Loki’s colors, loud and proud. On anyone else, it could have possibly been overlooked. But on the girl who had already raised some suspicion with regards to the god...not so much. And yet, she couldn’t seem to resist.

She heard Jane clear her throat meaningfully as she approached her. 

“Darcy, are you, um...sure you want to wear that...particular item?” She whispered, catching Sif’s eye as she did so.

“Yep,” Darcy answered bluntly. She dramatically looked Jane up and down, fully intent on changing the subject immediately. “ _ You _ look breathtaking.” The comment was as truthful as it was a purposeful distraction.

Jane blushed a little herself at this, looking down at her satin white dress shyly. The bodice was freckled with gorgeously embedded runes, and it hugged tightly against Jane’s slim waist. Golden wings were embroidered into the front train. They matched Thor’s iconic helmet. 

“You were born for this,” Darcy continued with a smile of genuine admiration. “Time to go marry a literal legend.”

Jane smiled more widely than ever, and they shared a hug that seemed to express every bit of friendship that they felt in that moment. When they parted, Darcy vaguely noticed Sif frowning at them as if they were rather odd, but seemed to shrug it off as she made to leave the room. Darcy couldn’t help but note that even the warrior looked exceptionally pretty at the moment.

As the party slowly exited into the hallway, Darcy noticed that sunlight was no longer streaming in through the palace windows; it was officially the wedding evening.

The Main Hall was filling as they entered from the side, each woman falling into place behind Jane as they ascended the few steps at the head of the room. Thor ran up like a giddy schoolboy to embrace Jane as everyone still got situated. Darcy felt like averting her eyes from the deep love that was being silently shared between the two. 

“More nauseating than ever,” a voice breathed behind her. 

Darcy couldn’t keep from grinning at the sound of his sudden arrival. But as she turned to look at the mischievous god, her grin instantly dropped.

“What have you been _ doing _ ?” she asked incredulously as she took in his battered appearance. Just like Thor, he wore his own iconic armor. But every unarmored bit of clothing was either torn or scuffed. His face had stains of dried blood across it, matching his even more tattered hands. 

“That’s not concern I hear in your voice, now, is it?” He grinned as a flash of green magic ran over him, instantly fixing everything in its path.

“Not fair,” Darcy muttered at the ease of his beautification. She was still eyeing him, trying to figure out what the hell he had been up to, when she realized he was brazenly lingering his gaze over her body.

“Did  _ you _ select this dress?” His eyes seemed to be thirstily drinking her entire being in at once.

“Maybe,” she answered with a half smile. He drank her in even more thirstily as she answered.

“I believe this is the first step towards begging,” he whispered headily as his fingers rolled the fabric of her sleeve strap. “You are purposefully tantalizing me.”

Sif’s biting voice broke both of them from their own little lustful world. “This is not where you stand, Snake. Go take your undeserved position at your brother’s side.” 

Loki’s eyes rolled upwards in annoyance before he vanished to reappear beside Thor. The blonde god looked as if his brother’s presence was suddenly icing on his own joyful cake. He clapped him on the back affectionately, still grinning from ear to ear with more happiness than Loki could ever expect to feel in a lifetime. The thought brought a very brief pang of resentment inside the trickster god, but it dissipated as quickly as it had arrived when he lifted his gaze back over to Darcy. 

She wore  _ his _ colors.  _ For  _ him. Somehow the sight of it had instantly distracted him from the day he’d just had. So very fast was the mood-altering effect she seemed to have on him.

_ What a very different type of power this creature has than the one I just escaped from, _ he mused. 

A grin curled his lips as she met his gaze with a blushing smile. He knew she was likely now experiencing flashbacks of the previous night, just as he was. How absolutely delicious she had looked at her last, the sounds and movements she made only further proving his effect on her. He felt himself start to harden at the very memory of it. 

The crowd was filling the Hall momentarily, and Odin finally arrived. The Allfather had never officiated a wedding before, but he was the only one in high enough position to perform such a ceremony for a prince. He began to reverently speak a few Old Norse phrases as he wrapped a long strip of white cloth around Jane’s and Thor’s adjoined hands. The patterns in which he intertwined the cloth were very purposeful, symbolizing each step of the ceremony as he spoke. At the very end, he held their hands in his and spoke final words, turning to Jane pointedly as he repeated them in English.

“Let these two be bonded in body and soul for the remainder of life’s journey, and let that journey be long and fruitful,” he finished as he released their hands, immediately causing thunderous applause and cheering. 

Many began lining up to personally congratulate the newlyweds, while others started making their way towards the dining hall. Darcy couldn’t help but enjoy the sight of Volstagg leading the latter group. She noticed the younger Prince standing dutifully by his brother’s side, silently waiting for the apparently distasteful moment to end. Her brow furrowed a little as she wondered again where he had just come from, and what trouble he had likely caused. 

Or, even more worryingly, what trouble he might be  _ in _ .

Soon everyone was piling into the dining hall to find the largest feast of the week. Thor and Jane sat at a single table raised at the head of the room in large, throne-like chairs. A sizeable tumbler of something was set in front of Jane, causing her eyes to widen. 

“What’s that?” Darcy asked Sif and Fandral as she eyed the thing.

“Bridal ale,” Fandral answered with a grin. “She must drink it in its entirety before Mjolnir is removed.”

“Before Mew Mew is removed from  _ where _ ?”

Fandral laughed, thoroughly enjoying Darcy’s surprise. “It will be pinning her lap to the chair, ensuring she finishes the ale before consummation can commence.”

“And then Thor’s  _ personal _ hammer will be in her lap,” Darcy blurted with a giggle.

Fandral raised his eyebrows at her unexpectedly crass joke. He chuckled in pleasant surprise.

“Must you be such a contradiction,” Loki chimed in as he suddenly appeared at Darcy’s side. “Looking so ravishing whilst simultaneously saying such repulsive comments.”

“Not feeling threatened by your brother’s hammer, are we?” Fandral asked with a wry grin.

Loki didn’t even acknowledge Fandral’s presence, still watching Darcy almost preditorally. She was well aware of his gaze, as well as the raised eyebrow it was earning from Fandral.

“Good thing there’s no public consummation tradition, right?” Darcy joked to distract from the attention that Loki’s intensity was attracting.

“You’re seriously starting to turn me off,” Loki muttered for only Darcy to hear. She threw a sideways glare at him.

“At one time that was  _ indeed _ a tradition,” Fandral mused nostalgically. “But alas, no more.”

Darcy chuckled as she started collecting some of the dishes laid out. She sipped her own ale while watching Jane with amusement. Jane had always been a lightweight, and this ale was definitely on the potent side. She was currently eyeing the tumbler as if it were Mount Everest and her life depended on conquering it. She kept trying to gulp it all at once, coming to a sputtering halt each time she did so. Thor was watching her with amusement as he easily finished mug after mug of his own. 

“Your traditions are super entertaining,” Darcy said to everyone in earshot.

“They can certainly be amusing,” Fandral agreed. “Especially with this rare privilege of new blood as company.” He now eyed Darcy a little more fully than he had since they’d sat down. “Interesting colors to choose for your friend’s wedding.” 

Darcy kept herself from shifting uncomfortably. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Loki smiling to himself as if he’d thought of a joke. She discreetly dug her nails into his thigh in warning as she replied to Fandral. 

“Yeah, the dress just seemed to fit me too well to pass up.” She shrugged casually, still not releasing her grip. She glanced over at her victim, letting out a quiet sigh of exasperation at the sight of his apparent enjoyment of her ‘warning’. She promptly let go. 

“Indeed.” Fandral raised an eyebrow as he looked back and forth between Loki and Darcy. 

“No need to explain yourself, dear,” Loki said towards Darcy, loud enough for Fandral to hear. “I do believe he was merely trying to come up with an excuse for why he was so intently eyeing you.”

“No need to misrepresent me, Loki.” Fandral sounded only slightly annoyed.

Loki scoffed. “ ‘Misrepresent’?” 

Darcy was frowning at the incorrigible man next to her. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous?” She asked quietly, though at the moment she wasn’t sure she cared if anyone heard. 

Eyebrows slightly raised, Loki gave her a look that would have almost appearend innocent had she not known him better. 

“Jealous?” 

“You  _ do _ seem a bit territorial this evening,” Fandral commented, returning his scrutinous gaze towards Loki. “One couldn’t help but wonder why.” He drank from his mug without lifting his stare.

“Perhaps I am merely weary of the tired old routine of the ‘conquests of Fandral’.” Loki met the stare unflinchingly.

“Taking notice of a gown is hardly a conquest.”

“We both know that is not what you were actually taking notice of.” Loki’s tone grew hostile.

It was Darcy’s turn to look back and forth, brow creasing as she took in how fast the situation seemed to be escalating. 

“Hey!” She leaned forward to bluntly interrupt their attention. “Get  _ over _ yourselves.” 

They both ignored her, glowering at each other intently. 

“Alright,” she tried again. “Slipping my top down. Right now. Over here.” 

Darcy couldn’t help but snicker at how automatic their head-turns were, each of them showing different levels of incredulity at her sudden misleading declaration. 

“Had to get your attention  _ somehow _ ,” she mumbled. “Now, drop the nonsense.” Her tone was entirely chiding.

Fandral was still frowning at her slightly as he dismissed the conversation to turn towards Volstagg, who was too enthralled in his meal to have noticed much of what had just happened. 

Loki was a bit less willing to dismiss it. 

“What in Hel was that?”

“A distraction.” Darcy shrugged. “It worked.”

“It was crass, and entirely unnecessary.” He was almost whispering, but somehow still managed to sound chiding.

“You’re surprised to hear a little crassness? Have you  _ met _ me?” Darcy asked wryly. “And I don’t know about ‘unnecessary’; you two seriously seemed minutes away from either a fight or a dick measuring contest.”

Loki’s frown only deepened. “Firstly, I would easily win both. And magic would only be the means for  _ one _ of those victories.” His expression changed into a smirk as Darcy seemed momentarily distracted by a certain part of his statement. “And secondly, do you  _ always _ use those magnificent breasts of yours as a means of getting your way?”

“Got  _ you _ with them, didn’t I?” She grinned as she sipped her ale. 

“It took a bit more than them alone. But it was actually a serious inquiry.”

“ _ Really _ ? I am super surprised that this is bothering you. You really  _ are _ jealous, huh?” She squinted at him thoughtfully. “Don’t want anyone else eyeing your new prize?”

His frown returned. “Are you bothered that I don’t really care for sharing?”

Darcy was a little taken aback at the blatant honesty within that question. “When you put it that way...in that delicious voice of yours...I guess not.”

Characteristic grin back on his face, Loki took a drink from his mug as if to celebrate his small win. 

“Still,” Darcy continued with a playful grin. “It  _ is _ kinda cute that you snapped a little.”

Loki let out a slightly exasperated sigh. “Do not  _ ever _ call me ‘cute’ again in your life.” Darcy rolled her eyes at the over-dramatism. “Besides, you can’t honestly blame me for suddenly feeling a bit possessive after you brazenly wore that dress for me.”

“But I  _ can _ honestly say that I am loving what effect my choice has apparently had on you. This territorial side becomes you.”

His hand reached over to grab her leg as his gaze started returning to its previous intensity.

“You had not even considered how dangerous the consequences of flaunting such a symbol might be.” His voice was altogether more heady than mere seconds ago. Darcy swallowed thickly. 

“I’m still not afraid.” Darcy attempted to sound lightly amused as she stubbornly canted her chin upwards, but she knew a little of his intensity was contagiously seeping into her own voice.

Loki gave her a wicked grin. “Nor should you be. But apprehensive…” he leaned over to whisper in her ear, “now  _ that _ , you  _ should _ be.”

Darcy’s breath hitched at his words as the hand on her leg began to slowly move caressingly upwards. Her eyes darted around the table, automatically making sure that no one was taking any notice of them at the moment. She marginally relaxed when it seemed that everyone was deeply into their own thing at the moment. Her eyes moved downwards towards the hand that was making sensual patterns as it languidly made its way up her thigh. 

“You seem rather...preoccupied all of the sudden,” Loki whispered. “What ever for?”

Darcy glared at him, her quickening breaths betraying the truth of his words. His hand slid further up her inner thigh, and she grabbed it tightly to stop its motion.

“Loki, I’m not really into public...shows,” she told him.

He raised an eyebrow. “I’ll break you of that aversion.”

“What happened to not wanting others to stare at me?” Her voice almost sounded panicked as his hand continued its path, despite her efforts to stop it.

“I have no intention of revealing any part of you to anyone.”

His little finger pressed against her center through her dress, and her grip on his hand tightened almost involuntarily. 

“Loki,” she whispered pleadingly. “Not here.” She threw a pointed glance up towards the raised table at the head of the room.

“They are both entirely inebriated,” he casually observed, as if he’d been keeping an eye on the newlyweds this whole time. 

Darcy looked back over to see that Jane had indeed somehow finished her ale, the hammer now removed from her lap. She was laughing loudly and playfully slapping an equally boisterous Thor. They were undeniably in their own little bubble.

Darcy’s observations were instantly cut short as Loki’s lips brushed against her ear. “They’re wrapped up in the beginnings of their own fun,” he whispered, hot breath landing tantalizingly against her ear and neck. “We should be having ours.” He punctuated his statement with a flicker of his tongue. She couldn’t help but shiver at the feeling.

“You’re going to torment me until I beg,” she declared softly, as much to herself as to him. 

“I’ll have you kneeling before me.” His voice was dangerously deepened with heady promise.

“Take me to your room,” she whispered raspily as she made her choice all at once. “And once we're there, I promise I’ll beg and plead as if my life depended on it.”

Her promise seemed to draw a low groan from Loki’s throat, his hand tightening around her thigh with animalistic passion. He appeared to need a moment to gather some composure before replying. 

And then, with an impossibly wicked grin, he finally whispered, “I do hope you’re ready.”

They quickly disappeared. Too quickly for Darcy to have noticed the sudden attention they’d earned from certain watchful eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update was a bit delayed! I promise more fun in the next chapter...
> 
> *Side note* The bit about Thor and Odin commenting on Jane's worthiness is a nod to her wielding Mjolnir in the comic that 'Love and Thunder' will apparently be based on. (I'm far from being a Marvel expert, but I do like to throw in bits of what I do know for a little added texture)
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An unapologetically fluffandsmut-filled chapter.

* * *

_Perks of princehood, _ Darcy was briefly musing as she quickly took in the new surroundings. Loki’s chambers proved to be even more luxurious than Darcy’s. He had several beautifully designed bookshelves of lacey gold structure. She caught a glimpse of a very large, equally gilded bathtub through an archway to the side of where they stood. But the bed held most of her attention at the moment. It was a ridiculously enormous four poster canopy, with satin black sheets that looked so soft and smooth that she wanted to swim in them. ‘Seductive’ would be an understated description.

_ That goes double for its owner, _ Darcy thought presently as she looked up at the man before her. His viridian eyes were smoldering as he leered at her wantonly. 

“Kneel.” 

His gruff command gave her a shiver. She felt as though her knees would’ve buckled down anyway just from the display of Loki burning with desire. A part of her did admittedly resent how quickly he’d gotten her to this point, but a much stronger part was all too eager to finally be here. 

Darcy held his gaze as she slowly undid her dress’s laces, sliding it down her overbust corset and letting it drop to the floor. She had found the most provocative, dark laced panties to match the corset, and she almost wanted to chide herself as his knowing grin told her how obvious it was that she’d prepared for this possible outcome of the evening. 

But the grin soon dropped, morphing into pure lust as Darcy slowly lowered herself onto her knees. She never thought she would love watching a grin of his fade so much. His expression was absolutely ravenous as she knelt before him, his eyes darkening with a deeper hunger than she’d ever seen in anyone. She had to applaud herself for having this effect on the mischievous god. She looked deeply up into his eyes, feeling her own desire burn through her gaze.

“Loki, I want you to_ rule _ me.” She fought the urge to let out a nervous laugh as his eyes widened. 

Darcy wanted so badly to ride this oddly empowering feeling. She kept her eyes locked with his as she ran a hand up his leg and over his swelling hardness, lingering to gently rub him before continuing upwards to the rim of his pants. The increasing fire in his eyes spurred her just as much as her own thirst, and she grasped at his shaft to heft his considerable length out and bring it to her lips. Her tongue ran down the underside slowly, savoring the way his breath hitched as she did so. His hand tangled into her hair as he held the back of her head, eyes closing as he let out a sigh of pleasure when she took him in her mouth. She forced herself to relax as she deepened the action, keeping her eyes locked on his face. 

_ Burdened with glorious penis… _she mused humorously as she fought to manage his length.

His hand gripped her hair more tightly, but he mostly still allowed her to go at her own pace. Several intoxicating moments later, she removed her mouth entirely, smirking as his expression readily showed his displeasure with the sudden lack of contact. 

Darcy hoped the look in her eyes was as seductive as she found his to be on a regular basis. She canted her chin down as she continued her plea. “Please, Loki..._ take _ me.”

The movement was too swift to be ready for, and Darcy suddenly found herself lifted effortlessly off the ground to be thrown backwards onto the bed. She couldn’t help but let out a pleased giggle as she bounced against the downy cushion.

“Please never stop surprising me,” Loki softly implored as he lowered himself over her and kissed her ravenously. 

Darcy smiled against his lips, feeling as though she had somehow managed to bring this powerful being to nearly worship her. Ironically, kneeling for him had apparently been key to that. She grinned even more as she wrapped her arms around him. He kissed down her jawline to move to her neck, his lithe fingers brushing over her clavicle in the most tantalizing way.

Darcy suddenly wanted nothing more than to remove all barriers. Her hands clumsily tried to remove his clothing. She let out an impatient groan as she failed miserably to find any fastenings on his complicated clothes. 

“Get these things _ off _ ,” she demanded. Loki grinned down at her just before nipping her bottom lip playfully, still making no move to undress. “I begged,” she reminded him. “ _ Elaborately _. Now get naked.” 

“As you command.” 

He gave her a mischievous grin as all clothing on disappeared entirely from both of them. Darcy drank in his leanly chiseled body.

He was still grinning as he gave her another sensual kiss before lowering his attention downwards. A moan escaped her as he took a nipple in his mouth, teasing it with his tongue as his other hand hefted her other breast to massage it. He briefly removed his mouth to stare at the view underneath him with labored breaths. 

“I truly do not believe I’ve ever encountered anything quite so exquisite as these,” he whispered with a stoft stroke of his thumb across the breast in his hand. 

Darcy let out another sound of impatience as she pulled his head back up towards her. She kissed him roughly, biting his lip gently before pulling away. He chuckled raspily at her hungry display.

“There’s something still needing to be filled by you.” Darcy surprised even herself with how wonton her voice suddenly sounded.

Loki’s responding grin was made all the more wicked by his hooded gaze. He still kept his lower body purposefully misaligned from hers as he ran his tongue across her throat to one side of her neck. He lingered there to speak against her skin, hot breath sending tingles up and down her.

“If you think I am done making demands, you are sorely mistaken.”

“What do you want?” Darcy’s voice still came gruffly as she suddenly decided she would actually do anything he asked in that moment. The feeling was somehow both insufferable and delicious all in one. 

“For you to display that you are _ mine _.” He growled the last word in such a way that sent shivers all over her. 

“The...colors?” Darcy fought through the erotic fog as she squirmed impatiently under him. 

He lowered his hips down on her, stilling her motions while he answered. 

“A mark,” he whispered before pressing his lips back to her neck.

Darcy whimpered as he suddenly sank his teeth in, biting with the perfect level of pressure that caused an absolutely tortuous pleasure-pain. He sucked her skin into his open mouth, still holding the clamp of his teeth. He lifted his hand back up to her breast, allowing her to writhe underneath him..

Loki released his bite and parted Darcy’s legs with one swift movement of his knee. She found the act to be almost merciful as he finally pressed against her entrance, drawing a hissed breath from her. He gazed unwaveringly into her eyes as he slowly entered her, bringing a much louder moan out of her this time. His own throaty sound of pleasure was absolutely guttural as he submerged himself to the hilt, briefly holding himself motionless as if to savor every bit of the sensation.

As his hips began to slowly move against her, Darcy bucked upwards in matched rhythm.They breathed raggedly against each other, locking eyes in a level of intimacy that neither had expected to feel.

“You’re so...beautiful,” Loki breathed between the interruption of their passionate movements.

Darcy quickly realized she couldn’t seem to speak at that moment, offering only a pleased hum in response. Loki’s eyes flickered down to the mark he’d left, returning his gaze with a satisfied smile. 

“Beautiful and _ mine _.” He crushed his lips on hers as his next thrust plunged into her with increased force. 

She broke away from his mouth to let out a small cry of pleasure, the sound of which seemed to drive him wild. He swiftly grasped her shoulders, turning her over as he emerged from her. She gasped at the suddenness of the movement, his strength easily flipping her as if she were a ragdoll. Even more sudden was his disappearance from the bed, suddenly behind her to stand at the foot of it. Her heart was pounding with excitement as he collected a firm grasp of her long hair and tugged with just enough force to pull her head back. His free hand was at her throat as he breathed heavily in her ear.

“Say it,” he whispered. 

Darcy couldn’t help but whimper a little, momentarily surprised at how much she was enjoying being so skillfully manhandled. “I’m yours,” she breathed.

No sooner had the words escaped her than he lowered her, bending her over before gripping her by the hips to resubmerge. She let out another cry with his thrust, and then the rhythm became urgent. 

“I want to look at you,” Darcy softly muttered between panting breaths. 

Loki was back on the bed in a flash, turning her much more slowly and gently this time, expression a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. He held her face as he took his time to re-enter her, intently watching her reaction as he did so. He savored the look in her eyes as his hand slipped between them to tease her at the peak of her folds .She whimpered and moaned as he ploughed on, continuing his deft fingering as he did so. 

As he picked up his pace, he gave her one long kiss before he felt her start to spasm around him. He pulled his face away just far enough to watch her, surprising himself with how deeply enjoyable the eye contact could be in the throws of passion. She called out his name hoarsely as she came, the sound of it almost as mind-blowing for him as the feel of, and he found himself releasing inside her without warning.

“_ Darcy!” _ he grunted raggedly as he tried to keep from collapsing on top of her in his suddenly weakened state. 

He twisted to collapse on his back right beside her. Darcy shifted to rest against his chest. They lie entangled for a moment, panting and sweating in a beautiful heap of shared satisfaction. Darcy felt her pulse concentrate acutely in the area that he’d bitten near her throat, and she couldn’t help but grin at the realization of how much she truly felt like _ his _ at that moment. The thought was as pleasing as it was worrying.

~~

Darcy hadn’t even realized she’d drifted off until she was suddenly awoken by a shift of the bed. She felt Loki slowly sit up and pull away from the embrace they’d still been in. She rolled onto her side and grabbed his arm before he could leave. He turned to face her, expression questioning.

“Stay?” she asked quietly.

“Darcy, I don’t really...do this,” he whispered, a look of warring emotions beginning to show on his face.

Darcy closed her eyes and sighed, dropping her hold of his arm. She could feel his drastic shift in mood, as if the pleasures they had felt only moments ago had already faded enough for him to return to his usual self. 

“I guess I probably should have figured,” she said softly.

“Figured?”

“Mhm. That you wouldn’t exactly be the type to stick around after getting in there.”

“Darcy, please don’t do this.”

The sincerity in his imploring request made her re-open her eyes to study him. In the dim light, she thought she almost saw pain in his eyes.

“Do what?” The confusion in her tone was altogether genuine.

“You are taking this personally, and you should know me a bit better than that by now.”

“Personally? So, was this not personal?” She gestured over the bed to signify what they had recently done.

“Darcy.” His tone was pleading. “This was something that escalated in a way I did not entirely expect it to. I am _ certainly _ not complaining,” he added with a half-smile. “But it has already evolved beyond what it should have been. It’s best if we do not push it even further.”

“Man, you really do have intimacy problems, huh,” Darcy said wryly.

“What?” He looked at her with perplexity. “I just gave you myself entirely.”

“Sex is only one form of intimacy. Actually trusting someone enough to sleep with them is another level,isn’t it?”

Loki considered this for a moment. “You’re right about the trust. I have not actually _ slept _ with anyone for...many centuries.” He paused to watch the surprise he knew would flash over Darcy’s face. It was, admittedly, less than he had expected, so he continued. “When one is asleep, they are entirely vulnerable for hours. Taking advantage of one in such a state is all too easy.”

“Is that what happened to you? Like, why you won’t anymore?”

“Yes.” He stared into her eyes as if preparing for what he was about to see in them with his next statement. “But not as the victim.”

Darcy’s eyebrows raised a little. “Oh.”

“I_ have _ warned you about me,” he reminded her with a mirthless chuckle. 

She propped herself up on one elbow. “So...the last person you actually fell asleep with, you … what, screwed them over somehow?”

“In essence. I was about a hundred and eighty years old at the time, and I had been involved with a woman for a time. Sigyn. Just before we went to bed one night, she revealed that her father had given her a certain artifact that Thor was currently looking for. There was a long, complex reasoning behind why she had to keep it secret, but basically it was sacred to her family and she knew that Thor had only been desiring it for glory alone. After she fell asleep that night, I found and took it, presenting it to Odin the next morning as if I had easily discovered what Thor had been hunting for. It was placed in the vault, and Sigyn knew her family position was too low to hold any true claim on it, sentimental value or no.”

Eyebrows furrowed with intense focus on his words, Darcy slowly nodded as he finished. 

“You broke her trust. And...likely, her heart, I’m guessing?”

“Mmm,” he wordlessly confirmed. He was still studying Darcy intently, trying to gauge her reaction.

“So, did you shy away from spending the night with anyone for fear of your own tendencies, or for fear of someone doing what you did.” Darcy grew careful as she voiced her question, not sure how deep this may be getting. 

Loki eyed her momentarily. “I suppose it’s been a little of both.”

“That..._ does _ make sense,” she said thoughtfully.

He frowned at her easy reaction. “Are you truly not bothered by things like this?”

“Did you want me to be?” She chuckled and lightly stroked his forearm.

“Not exactly. But, from what I have gathered about you, you are overall a kindhearted person. A much more...pure soul than I. Not to mention the parallel of your position to Sigyn’s at the moment.” He was still frowning as he voiced his confusion.

Darcy had been considering the very points he was making, but couldn’t seem to feel anything other than her freshly elevated feelings for the less-than-honorable man in front of her. She quickly suppressed that uneasy realization and forced a casual shrug.

“I’ve gotten good at rolling with the punches over the years. It takes all kinds to cross Darcy Lewis’s path, apparently. Plus, the event you’re describing was longer ago than most of my knowledge of history even goes..” 

Darcy’s own comment suddenly reminded herself of a certain Norse textbook.. “Sigyn...that name sounded familiar. I think it was in that book I read, back when Thor first landed. Jane and Erik and I looked through an old Norse book to read about the mythology surrounding him. And Sigyn was...your wife.” Darcy’s eyes widened with the completion of her realization.

Loki scoffed humorously. “Not hardly. But we were together a few years, years that did include several trips together to Midgard. Things were ...quite different in those days.”

Darcy wasn’t thrilled at her own tinge of relief. She was definitely no prude, but she wasn’t exactly a husband-stealer either. And for some reason, the possibility of a goddess ex-wife being around had made her almost as uneasy as the thought of him being still married.

“I guess being a millennium-old, it would be understandable to have an ex-wife or two,” she humorously mused aloud. 

“Is that honestly the part you are focusing on?” Loki was all but bewildered.

She gave another shrug. “I focused on all of it. I’m also tired, and...spent, in ways that could only be blamed on you,” she added with a wry smile.

He grinned, clearly pleased. “I’m terribly sorry.”

“Mhm,” Darcy mumbled in disbelief as she plopped back down onto the pillow, still smiling.

Loki laid back down, facing her on his side. He lightly traced a finger down the side of her face, trailing it down her arm. He smiled at the sight of the goosebumps rising in his finger’s wake. 

“I wonder if I could manage to conjure enough of my own energy to give you a second wind.” His voice was entirely suggestive as he slid his hand from her arm to her waist to pull her closer to him.

Darcy moaned sleepily, but met his gaze with a playful gleam in her eyes. “You’re gonna use every last drop of me, aren’t you?” Her grin told him how little she minded the idea. 

“It is becoming an enticing thought.” He almost growled the words as he lunged for her neck.

Darcy tugged his hair, pulling his face back up. His expression told her just how little he appreciated the interruption. “Only _ if _ ,” she paused, raising her eyebrows for emphasis. “You stay after. The _ whole _ night.”

Loki’s expression flashed with concern.

“Just once,” Darcy encouraged. “And if you end up hating it, I’ll never bring it up again. At all.”

He softened at both the understanding compromise and the sincere longing she emanated. 

_ This perplexing creature refuses to stop amazing me, _ he thought to himself as he caressed her cheek with his free hand. _ Nor will she cease to allure me. _

He pressed his lips against hers fervently, attempting to express at least some of what he was feeling for her in that moment.

After a long moment, he pulled back to respond to her. “If you let me have you again, I promise to stay for the rest of the night.”

Emotion colored his voice, and Darcy suddenly forgot that she had just felt tired minutes ago. She lurched forward, kissing him passionately as she wrapped her leg around his hip, savoring the feeling of him hardening so quickly against her. His eyes shone with affection and renewing lust.

As their bodies joined for a second time that night, Darcy tried to comprehend the feeling that was beginning to bud inside her. It was powerful, and altogether unsettling. Deep down, she suspected that she may be in trouble.

If only she knew.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delayed update! Hopefully it proves worth the wait :)

* * *

Darcy was quite pleased to find that Loki still lay next to her as she awoke late the next morning. He was so much more peaceful than when he was awake, an almost youthful innocence on his serene face. If anyone had seen him like this without having known him first, they would have never guessed his true nature. She brushed her lips over the arm he still had wrapped around her shoulder, smiling as the scent of his skin met her nose.

Loki’s steady breathing sped marginally. He spoke before opening his eyes.

“I was beginning to think I had tired you out permanently.” 

“ _ You _ were asleep too.” Darcy matched his smug grin with her own.

“I had been awake for a while, hours ago. But otherwise, yes, I slept rather deeply. Your mortal body managed to nearly match a god’s. Well done.” He kissed her on the head playfully. “You must have been ever so bored with the Midgardian men who never had a chance in keeping up with you.”

“Sometimes,” Darcy admitted as she stretched her deliciously sore muscles. “But, to be totally honest, none had quite inspired  _ that _ level outta me before.” She gave him an open-mouthed kiss just as he hummed a sound of pleasure. 

“High praise,” he said with a grin against her lips.

“By the way,” she began her question between kisses. “Do you usually prefer the slow passion or the uh...more animalistic wild stuff. There was definitely an intriguing mix of both, especially between rounds two and three.”

“With you, it varies from moment to moment.”

Darcy laughed. “I see. So that’s why you liked me scoldingly digging into your thigh at dinner. But also - and I usually _loathe_ this term - you essentially ‘made love’ to me after our little heart to heart in the middle of the night.”

Loki studied her fervently for a moment before returning to his usual look of amusement. 

“It was quite the mixture,” he agreed with a kiss on her forehead. “Although, I’ll admit I’ve never been entirely predictable on this front. Even my new sister-in-law managed to bring a surprising bit out of me, on our very first meeting.”

Darcy’s look of pleased humor dropped instantly, replaced by indignation. 

“What?” She shouted.

Loki breathed a chuckle. “Did she not tell you? She slapped me rather hard, immediately upon recognizing who I was. It was... exhilarating.”

“What the hell, man? That’s  _ gross _ .” Darcy smacked his arm in annoyance. “Don’t say shit like that.”

“Are  _ you _ the jealous one now?” Loki raised an eyebrow, grinning triumphantly.

“I mean...a little,” she admitted. “But also… just  _ ew _ .”

“Are you going to tell me that you honestly never had so much as a fleeting attraction for Thor upon meeting him?” He threw her a knowing look.

“Well...” Darcy chewed her lip as she trailed off.

“You hesitate because I’m correct.”

“I  _ hesitate _ because I fear you’ll lose your shit. Jealousy over your brother is kind of a hot button issue with you, no?”

“Fadingly so,” Loki admitted with an amused expression. “The point was simply that you need not feel even the slightest bit jealous over such trivial things as this.”

“Says the guy who got all pissy last night because someone might have looked at my chest a bit.” She stuck her tongue at him playfully.

Loki chuckled as he leaned in, kissing her affectionately before responding. “That is entirely different. Your chest could mesmerize even an honorable man into doing unspeakable actions.”

Darcy’s responding giggle was cut short as Loki returned to continue kissing her, deepening the kiss ever so smoothly. She wondered how it was possible that he was able to arouse her so quickly after the night they’d just had, but as his skilled tongue slid against hers, she suddenly didn’t care how raw she was. Another round was very welcome.

A sudden knock on his door brought an annoyed grunt out of both of them. 

“Loki, we need to speak at once,” came Thor’s urgent voice. 

Loki sighed defeatedly, giving Darcy a slightly apologetic look just before he transported to the other side of the door. She was effectively left suddenly alone, confused and surprised that he actually went so swiftly at Thor’s request.

“What is it?” Darcy could hear Loki ask outside, annoyance heavily evident in his tone.

“You know well what it is, brother.” Thor sounded grim. “How did you know to urge Father to close the bifrost?” Steps sounded immediately, moving them farther away from the door so that whatever else was said could not be heard.

Darcy scrambled to get up, realizing as she did so that she was still completely naked and that her dress had disappeared. She groaned and cursed Loki under her breath, searching desperately for anything to throw on so she could get back to her room. That conversation sounded like a doozy, and not only was it unlikely for the dress-vanisher to return any time soon, but she also felt quite uneasy about whatever Thor was talking about. She needed to get out of this room.

Another knock on the door came, and Darcy’s eyes bulged as she even more urgently scanned for anything to throw on. 

“Sheet it is,” she mumbled as she folded and bunched the large black sheet around her like a long towel. 

“Darcy?” Jane’s voice made Darcy’s heart race.

_ What the hell is going on? Why is Jane looking for me  _ here _ ? _

For one second, Darcy debated staying silent, but she decided that Jane likely already knew she was in fact in there, so she quickly gave up and opened the door a crack.

“What’s up?” Darcy fought to make her voice sound casual.

Now Jane’s eyes bulged. “I seriously didn’t want to believe her.”

Darcy let out an exasperated groan. “Just come in.” 

She quickly swung the door open just long enough for Jane to hop in before shutting it. 

“Now, what’s wrong?”

“Seriously?  _ Everything _ .” Jane took a deep breath and began to pace the room absently. “First of all, Sif came to Thor and me first thing this morning to warn me that you had disappeared - literally - with Loki last night. Right after a ‘display of obvious intent’, as she put it.” Jane gave a small eye roll. “Then, right after that, Odin comes and tells all three of us that the bifrost has been sealed, and that we need to discuss an urgent matter with Heimdall.” 

Jane paused to stop and stare directly at Darcy, a look of sincere worry on her face now. 

“Early this morning, Loki had informed Odin that Asgard is in danger, and Heimdall confirmed what he spoke of. And, from the little I understand so far, it’s entirely  _ your new lover’s _ fault.” She nearly spat out the last part, clearly disgusted.

Darcy slowly nodded. “Huh,” was all she said, sounding casually thoughtful as her mind slowly began swirling with too many thoughts and feelings to process at once.

“There’s no way you are calm.” Jane swiftly approached Darcy and grabbed her arms to look deeply into her eyes. “Not even you.”

“Well, first off, hell of a honeymoon buzzkill, am I right?” Darcy pulled away from Jane to give her a sympathetic pat with the hand that wasn’t holding the sheet up. “Second of all...why is Loki the reason we’re all suddenly in danger? It’s not that I necessarily doubt that possibility, but…” she gestured wryly at the bed, “he was kinda  _ ocupado _ all night.”

Jane grunted with obvious distaste. “Stop it, Darcy. This is serious.”

“Look, I believe that it is. Although, you do have a tendency to be dramatic sometimes... _ sometimes _ ,” Darcy emphasized as Jane threw her a glare. “But I did also hear Thor asking Loki what was going on just before you came, so....yeah. What else exactly do you know?”

“Heimdall said there’s a small armada of ships nearby - a definitely  _ unfriendly _ one. Odin and Loki had gone to him early this morning just before it arrived; Loki knew it was coming. Apparently, just before the wedding, he had paid a visit to someone far more dangerous than himself...the one really behind the attack on Earth a year ago.”

“What? That doesn’t make any sense.” Darcy’s face contorted as she felt her mind start to reel. “How did he manage that before the wedding? And  _ why  _ did he? And...why would he just  _ now _ warn anybody about it?”

Jane’s worried look was back on her face as she watched her friend finally start to feel the brunt of things. “The ‘how’ would be the tesseract. I am not sure about the ‘why’, but as for just now warning us, apparently he left briefly this morning again to check on what had happened and, well, basically discovered that an attack on Asgard was being planned.”

“But...isn’t this place too powerful to attack?”

Jane let out a slow sigh. “Odin reassured that the bifrost being closed would mean security. But...he’s also weakening - rapidly so - and Heimdall seemed concerned about that. When Odin left, he told Thor and I that the Allfather may be falling into another Odinsleep. And that Asgard’s strength is interconnected to his, and, therefore…”

“We could be fucked,” Darcy finished bluntly as she lowered to the edge of the bed.

“Thor is  _ not _ going to let that happen,” Jane said softly, more to herself than to Darcy. “He’ll save us.”

Darcy was still chewing her lip when she felt herself suddenly whisked away from the room.

~~

“Brother, keep your voice  _ down _ ,” Loki was chiding Thor as he led them away from his door. There was no need for Darcy to overhear any of this just yet. “Everyone not need know  _ everything _ .”

“What did you do, Loki?” Thor’s voice became pained as he battled between love and distrust for his brother once again.

“I merely attempted to warn off a certain entity from pursuing me here.”

“Is that why they _ immediately _ proceeded to pursue you?” The anger in Thor became more and more obvious.

Loki held out a steadying hand to calm his brother. “Thor, listen to me. You do not understand the madness of this particular being.”

“Is that the commonality which drew you two to each other?” Thor spat.

“He is _dangerous_,” Loki spoke over the interruption with much more composure than Thor showed. “He needed to be warned off before he sought the tesseract any further. I showed him the power that I wield - the power of _two_ infinity stones. To show him he no longer stood a chance.”

“And now he means to take both, is that it? You _ fool _ , you led him right to you! To all of us!” Thor raised a fist.

“Thor, he was coming anyway!” 

Loki’s shout hung in the air for a long moment, Thor slowly lowering his arm as he studied his brother’s face. 

Loki took a deep breath. “I may truly suffer in Hel one day for ever having cohorted with such a madman, but it happened. And all we can do now is try to use the powers at our disposal to rid us of this threat.”

“How did you know he was coming?  _ Why _ would he have been coming?”

“He’s been searching for me ever since I disappeared on Earth. On one of my recent uses of the tesseract, I ran into...a mutual acquaintance of ours. I knew it would only be a matter of time before he readied himself to come here in search of it.”

“Who is this being, brother? What is his endgame?”

“He is Thanos, the last remaining Titan. And he seeks all six stones to, well, to control the universe.”

“If that be so,” came a much older voice as Odin suddenly approached them, having listened by without their notice. “Then he truly  _ is _ mad. No being has ever wielded the power of all six ancient elements.”

“He is the most power-hungry creature I’ve ever come across,” Loki stated grimly. “And he has entirely convinced himself that he only bases his desires in pragmatic reasoning for the greater good.”

“Again, the  _ similarities _ ,” Thor bitterly shot towards his brother before turning to the Allfather. “Father, can we hold off such a determined being?”

“As long as I can remain awake, and we keep the bifrost sealed, they shall not be able to breach our defenses.”

“And...if you are to fall into Odinsleep?” Thor’s face twisted in pain of apprehension with what he expected to be the answer.

“You are strong, my sons. You will protect Asgard to the extent of which would make your ancestors proud. I am sure of it.” He gave them both a weak smile. “For now, we must simply remain prepared.” Odin sauntered to the nearest balcony, a raven flying to greet his extending arm as he silently called to it.

“He is fighting to keep all of his senses awakened,” Thor commented as he watched after his father, “and now it is only a matter of time before he can no longer hold off.”

“I am now more powerful than he, brother. I swear to you, I shall not let Asgard fall.”

“ _ You _ ,” Thor turned back to Loki with pure bitterness showing, as if just remembering their building fight. “ _ You - _ who brought this upon us in the first place - are now  _ swearing _ to me?”

Loki’s hands raised in a halting gesture as Thor appeared more and more ready to attack. He had no intentions of using the stones against his older brother after so recently realizing he truly loved him.

“Thor, you must understand. If you have  _ ever _ trusted anything about me, trust this: I never wished to bring this threat here.”

“But here it is, all the same. Because you just couldn’t  _ help _ yourself. You truly are the worst, brother.” Thor’s hands sparked with the tiny beginnings of lightning.

Two things happened almost at once. Loki glanced at the sparks on his angered brother’s hands, seeing the first actual threat during their heated conversation. Then, a dark shadow appeared to briefly shoot out from his own body, blasting Thor backwards several feet. Loki’s eyes widened as the darkness recollected itself inside of him, Thor quickly scrambling to his feet with a bewildered look.

“What the Hel? You’ve kept the Aether  _ inside _ of you this whole time?” Thor’s voice rose with more incredulous anger. “Have you lost every last sense entirely? That is a  _ dangerous _ power, one that you do not fully understand!”

“It has brought me to more and more understanding by the minute,” Loki replied softly, striving to remain calm. “It is why I know Thanos’s true plan.”

“You are playing with things that will doubtlessly consume you, Loki. You did not even care what danger you could have brought to a delicate mortal by bedding her with such a power inside of you.” He gestured towards the direction of Loki’s chambers.

“I would have  _ never _ let her be harmed...” Loki hissed, just before he seemed to realize something alarming. “Darcy,” he whispered to himself.

With that, he vanished leaving a painfully confused and highly vexed Thor behind.

~~

“ _ Finally _ ,” Darcy said as she took in the surroundings of her own room, as well as the companion that had suddenly replaced Jane. “You seriously left me in there with zero clothes.” She pointed an angry finger at Loki.

He grasped her outstretched hand firmly, a look of pained urgency on his face. “Darcy, listen to me. You must go back to Earth.  _ Now _ .”

Darcy frowned. “I thought the bifrost was sealed? Besides, I don’t want to leave right now, I…”

“You  _ must _ ,” Loki interjected. “I know not when danger will befall us, but it will likely come soon. You are...too vulnerable.” A brief flash of something like vulnerability crossed his expression before he renewed his look of determination. “I’ll bring you back to the Stark tower. You  _ will _ be safe.” He almost sounded as if he were trying to reassure himself.

“Hel _ lo _ ? Bifrost  _ closed _ ? Plus, you need to stay here to defend your world, right?” Darcy stopped short as Loki conjured a glowing blue cube in one hand. “Oh yeah.  _ That _ thing,” she muttered. “But you still should stay here. Don’t you have like two of the most powerful things in the universe right now? Everyone needs you to stay and -”

Loki interrupted again with even more vehemence. “What they all  _ need _ is for me to not ‘lose my shit’, as you would say, should anything happen to you.”

Darcy’s brow creased even more as she studied the intensity in his fiery eyes. She found herself at a rare loss of words.

“Here,” he said, suddenly gentle in tone as he instantly dressed her in Midgardian clothes underneath the sheet. He placed a hand on her cheek, stroking it for a brief moment before lowering it to her shoulder. His other hand wrapped around her waist, and he let the cube hover magically in between them 

And they were pulled away.

This was different from the instant, local transport that Darcy experienced from Loki’s own magic. It was more similar to the bifrost trip, but without any rainbow effect. Also, they were somehow in the middle of a vast amount of power, as if they were completely enveloped in electricity. She could feel that they were in motion, yet it seemed as if they were in a protective bubble. 

An abrupt halt cut her musings very short, as they bluntly landed against a cold, hard ground.

By the look on Loki’s face, the sudden stop had not been expected. He immediately hid the cube with his magic cloaking. He and Darcy both looked around anxiously, taking in the dark, metallic environment in which they now stood.

“I knew you would try to run.” Behind them came the passionless, deep voice that made Loki’s heart quicken. “Though I can’t say I had expected you to bring a companion.”

They both turned slowly, Darcy’s bewildered expression next to Loki’s poker face. A large purple personage towered a few yards away from them, a strange smile spreading on an even stranger face. 

“Hello, Fallen Prince,” the bass voice greeted.

“Mad Titan,” Loki spat bitterly.

“How kind of you bring me a hostage.”

Loki’s arm tightened around Darcy almost suffocatingly, but he said nothing in response.

“I’m sure you’re wondering how I stopped you,” the giant continued. He held up a huge hand, gloved in a golden piece of armor with a deeply purple gem embedded in one knuckle. “I should thank you for hurrying my plans. You do know how to motivate. Of course, sacrifices had to be made, but,” he tilted his head slightly, “such is always the way.”

“The Reality Stone is not on Asgard,” Loki blurted. “Nor is it still with me. I have hidden it. Leave Asgard now and I might cooperate in guiding you towards it.”

A deep, dry chuckle sounded as the monstrous man slowly neared them. “I think I know you well enough to see past such a lie. You would never have parted with such power.”

“I would, to save my own skin. To ensure you would not attempt to destroy me while trying to force it out of me. This way ensures that you would need me alive in order to find it.”

“What if I merely destroy that female you’re so desperately clinging to?” Another strange, heartless smile.

Darcy felt Loki grip into her shirt as he tightened his arm even more around her. His possessive worry compelled her to finally find her voice.

“I’m the one who actually hid it,” she blurted without thinking. She could feel Loki tense beside her. “But he knows how to get to the planet. And I know where it is on that planet. You need us both, and neither of us will tell you anything if the other is harmed.”

Another dry chuckle. “Who are you, little girl?”

“My name is...Sif,” Darcy said quickly, suddenly loathe to say anything that might sound Earth-like, and therefore mortal. Although she admittedly had forgotten about the tell-tale clothes she currently wore. “I am a warrior in training,” she added.

“You _ will  _ need us both alive, but she need not come,” Loki interjected. “Asgard will worry if young Sif is gone too long. I’ll take her back and she can tell me where the Aether lies, and we can be on our way. You have my word.”

The giant’s laugh was almost booming this time. “The word of a lying trickster. That’s almost more worthless than the lies from this weak human. Yes,” he whispered as both of their eyes widened. “I am not as foolish as this mortal child had hoped. I know you were on your way to Earth. And I can see how protective of her you are. She must be fragile, indeed.” He reached his ungloved hand towards her face. 

A darkness suddenly leapt out of Darcy’s center, forcing the Titan backwards several steps and threatening his balance altogether. 

All three of them stare in silent bewilderment for a short moment.

“The Aether,” whispered the giant. “ _ That _ is why you protect her so.”

Darcy gave Loki a horrified look, whose own expression was now carefully masked. The giant’s dry chuckle sounded yet again.

“And it would appear she did not even know she was a carrying vessel. Always such trickery. That's where you and I differ; I've never felt falsehood was necessary.”

“Do you know how else we differ?” Loki’s voice was dangerously low. “I have  _ two _ stones.”

All at once, Loki revealed the tesseract while the Aether surfaced just beyond his skin, sending a pulse of power outward in every direction. The Titan was knocked all the way to his back this time, but Darcy couldn’t tell what he was landing against. Or even  _ if _ he was landing at all. Everything around them began to shift and disappear as if reality itself were changing. Darcy felt momentarily nauseated with the swirl of it, but Loki’s arm wrapping back around her cut the feeling short.

The electric bubble whisked them away just as they came.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the ol' Thanos makes his first appearance
> 
> **If anyone is disappointed in lack of lemon, or just happens to be needing a bit more Loki smut in their lives, spare a glance for my short two-parter called Loki's Allure**
> 
> Thank you to all who leave Kudos and comments! They keep me going!


	12. Chapter 12

Loki and Darcy’s swift trip back brought them right to Heimdall, Loki immediately questioning the watchful guardian.

“Are they gone? Did it work?” Loki’s worry bled into his frantic questions.

“It did not. The power stone deflected your attempt just in time.”

“ _ Damn! _ ” Loki’s jaw clenched. He appeared to consider his options for a brief moment before turning back towards Darcy, who was now shaking. “Darcy, come. You must get to the healing chamber.”

“Oh,” Darcy responded through still-panting breaths, “you mean to check on the power you forced  _ inside _ of me like a drug mule? Something that will probably  _ kill _ me?” She shouted at him with all the frightened ire that had so recently developed.

“I did not force it into you!” His face slightly contorted as he studied her, as if he could possibly see where part of the Aether could be hiding within her. “I truly have no feasible idea how a part of it could have broken off into you.”

Darcy blanched a little just as his arm wrapped back around her, taking them on his short teleport trip to the healing chambers. Only one stately woman occupied the room, surprised at their sudden appearance.

“Eir, you must inspect Darcy immediately. She seems to have somehow encased part of the Aether.” Loki quickly told her, clearly not wasting any time.

“ _ What _ ? I thought we were rid of that once Princess Jane had…”

“No time, Eir! Figure this out,  _ now _ !” Loki’s commanding shout was oddly juxtaposed to the gentle way he was helping Darcy onto the observation table.

Darcy could feel something strange about herself, now that the initial shock was wearing off. An inexplicable discomfort seemed to weigh down into her very core, yet she also felt strengthened, almost as if something had been activated within her. Whatever had happened on that alien ship had definitely awoken some sort of reaction.

Eir pulled up the Soul Forge to confirm what Loki already said about the Aether. And yet,  _ not _ quite as he said. She squinted at the information before her, mouth falling slightly open before she remembered the two worried faces staring at her expectantly.

“I  _ do _ see that the Aether was mixed with human blood - much as it had with Jane - but it is concentrated into one very small area of human blood cells. However,” she paused, a frown creasing her wizened face as she tried to make sense of it. “It has also blended with  _ Aesir _ cells. And they are not Darcy’s, obviously.”

Loki looked like he might either explode or maybe even cry. Darcy was all wide-eyed confusion.

“She’s been impregnated by an Aesir,” Eir explained. “An Aesir that had been physically carrying the Aether. That is the only explanation.”

“I’m sorry,  _ what? _ ” Darcy exclaimed the question more than asked it.

“That just...isn’t possible,” Loki whispered, mostly to himself.

“Look.” Eir gestured at the floating charts. 

Loki’s breathing became uneven as he studied the information for himself, expression belying the confirmation that Eir’s conclusion was correct. 

“Wait,” Darcy was still desperately trying to keep her incoming panic at bay. “Why do  _ you _ seem so sure this wouldn’t be possible? Also...why is it not half Frosty-thing instead of Aesir?”

Eir’s face was pure bewilderment before a look of sudden understanding washed over her. The expression quickly turned into shaming disgust as she turned to Loki, realizing he’d been the one to impregnate this mortal. The whole Loki prejudice had clearly not yet been entirely wiped from Asgard, but Loki clearly couldn’t care less at the moment as he ignored Eir to answer the girl.

“I changed myself,” Loki admitted. “With the Aether. And as for...the other question, I had felt complete control, so the Aether must’ve... _ pushed _ past my magic somehow.”

“Darcy?” The sound of Jane’s voice prevented him from continuing further as she came running from the hallway, Thor in tow behind her. “What happened? Is that…?” She noticed the Soul Forge, studying it rapidly now. 

“Yes,” Eir answered the unfinished question. “A fetus. A rapidly growing one too, I can only conclude, since she has only been here a few days. And...the Aether is inside of it.”

“What the  _ hell _ ?” Jane practically screeched.

“Loki, what have you done?” came Thor’s admonition. 

“Here’s the thing,” Loki held up a finger. “I didn’t know this would be possible.”

“I told you that you had put her in danger! I had thought you to be changed, brother, but you are as selfish as ever!” Thor’s expression turned pained.

“Thor?” Darcy’s voice still wavered despite her efforts. “Stop. I really don’t think he meant for any of this to happen.”

“You weren’t careful, Loki,” Thor continued, ignoring her. “Midgardians are much more fertile than the Aesir, you should have -”

“You think me a fool?” Loki bitterly interjected. “ _ Honestly _ ? With my knowledge that far outreaches your own,  _ and _ my magical abilities? The Aether had behaved unpredictably. It must have some sentience,” he continued, as if to himself now. “It’s as though it  _ wanted _ to spread.”

“Wait,” Jane held up a hand. “You had the Aether... _ inside _ of you? When you... _ slept _ with her?” Her tone became seething.

“So this is an awesomely personal topic,” Darcy commented sarcastically. “Good thing the girl you’re talking about isn’t  _ right _ fucking here.”

“Darcy, how are you not angry with him?” Jane gestured to the god who was now rolling his eyes at her. “You  _ do _ realize the danger he put you in, right? And speaking of danger, where  _ were _ you guys just now?” Jane finally got back to her original question.

Darcy didn’t immediately answer, partially because she still wasn’t sure what happened.

“That would be the pertinent question,” Loki responded sardonically before turning to Thor. “We may have a bigger problem than we thought on our doorstep.”

“Lo-ki,” Thor dragged out chidingly. “What is it? What _ else _ did you do?”

“Not me. Thanos...he now has the power stone.”

Thor’s anger shifted into concern and a touch of fear as he studied his brother’s face for sincerity.

“What is a ‘Thanos’? What’s the power stone?” Jane asked with a frown.

“He’s a menacing madman.” Thor was the one to answer, still looking at Loki as he explained what he’d recently learned. “He was the one who gave Loki the scepter and the army to conquer Earth a year ago. And the power stone is an ancient infinity power, like the Aether and the tesseract.”

Jane was already blanching a bit at the mention of the New York incident. “ _ That’s _ who’s here? With an  _ additional _ form of power?” Jane’s face was full of worry as she visibly began to calculate all of the new information.

“Well, he doesn’t have  _ me _ this time,” Loki corrected wryly.

“We have to fight him,” Jane continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “ _ Now. _ Before he finds a way to break through Asgard’s defenses and destroy everything.”

“You are right,” Thor agreed and dutifully held out his hand to summon Mjolnir.

“Brother, take all of your warriors,” Loki advised, suddenly sobered. “And I will join you once Darcy is stabilized.”

“She will only worsen,” Eir grimly chimed in now, studying the Forge once again. “Not only would a human body be unlikely to be able to handle a half-Aesir fetus, but she  _ definitely _ cannot live long with the Aether’s power inside that fetus as well. It will overcome her. I am sorry.”

“Again... _ right _ here,” Darcy muttered with a wave of her hand, mind reeling all over again. 

Loki’s fists clenched, and all objects in the room began to quake, the Soul Forge flickering along with the low rumble. The sound of a raven’s nervous squawk outside the window could be heard, as though the effects were reaching even outside the room.

All eyes were now on him, widened with fear. 

“Tell. Me. What. We. Have. To. Do.” Loki’s fierce words were clipped, spoken through a clenched jaw as if everything in him were going towards restraint from all-out violence.

For a moment, everyone was torn between worry for Darcy and apprehension for what Loki might do.

Then Jane’s face lit up with a glimmer of hope at a sudden idea.

“Idunn,” she said softly, then exclaimed with more confidence, “We can get an apple of Idunn!”

“I do not advise that,” Eir quickly countered. “The Aether is too unpredictable.”

“More unpredictable than her  _ definitely _ dying?” Jane threw the physician a glare.

“Neither Father nor Idunn are likely to grant this request, Jane,” Thor stated grimly.

“This is  _ madness _ !” Loki spat. His fists clenched once more, the dark red Aether beginning to surface to his pale skin.

“Brother,” Thor let out a tentative warning.

“She will  _ not  _ die because of me!” Loki hissed, his tone more severe than ever.

“How long do I have?” Darcy suddenly blurted, momentarily confusing Loki enough to marginally calm him.

Eir’s face scrunched once again, with both worry and contemplation. “It’s impossible to say for sure. Several weeks, possibly a couple of months.”

Darcy took a deep breath. “Then I think it’s safe to say that the big ugly bully right here in our skies here is the more pressing matter.”

“Darcy,” Loki warned, suddenly wary of what she was saying.

“Go save your planet.” Her words were simple, yet sincerity dripped from them as she stared deeply into his eyes.

“I’m not leaving you without solving this,” he responded softly, almost as if he were pleading.

“That giant is figuring out a way to get to us as we speak. We’re probably not going to save my life faster than he comes up with a plan of attack.”

Loki looked pained as he considered her words, before suddenly muttering the word ‘Odin’ and closing his eyes in some sort of concentration.

Thor wasn’t sure if he was more surprised or worried when his father suddenly appeared before them. A puzzled glance back at a cool, calculated Loki told him that his brother was indeed getting more powerful than ever, if he can apparently summon the Allfather himself.

“Darcy needs an Idunn apple immediately, to save her life.” Loki did his best to sound commanding rather than begging.

Odin looked grave. “So I heard.”

At everyone’s confusion, Odin looked meaningfully towards the open window.

“The raven,” Thor muttered in realization.

“Eir was right; the apple isn’t worth the risks,” Odin continued. “Even if it is successful in changing the human cells, we have no way of knowing how strong it may make the fetus. Or even the Aether itself. It couldn possibly kill her instantly, or possibly create an even worse force than we can imagine, once the child is born.”

“Second risk sounds perfectly fine to me,” Loki bitterly dismissed the worry of his unborn spawn becoming dangerous. “How likely is the first?”

“As you pointed out,” Eir chimed again. “The Aether has a sort of will of its own. If it perceived the changing of its host’s cells as a threat, it may just terminate the host altogether.”

Loki let out a growling sound as he whipped around, as if he suddenly couldn’t stand the sight of the physician.

“You have started two fires that now endanger those you love, my son,” Odin iterated somberly. “And now you must carry the burden of fighting both.”

Loki and Thor shared a worried glance, as if they both recognized something in their father’s words. The women glanced at each other like they’d missed something within Odin’s statement of the obvious.

Thor was the first to speak, a flick of his wrist raising Mjolnir as though he were ready to fight here and now.

“I will face Thanos. You can join me when you are ready, brother.” 

Loki frowned a little as he searched Thor’s face for any sarcasm or ire in the soft invitation, but he only found determination. He gave his brother a firm pat on the shoulder before briefly leaning to whisper something only he could here. A single nod of understanding, and Thor was briskly heading down the hallway, leaving a torn-looking Jane to suddenly consider following.

“Darcy, do you need me to stay?” Her glance towards Loki was meaningful.

“I’m fine. You’re a goddess now; go help your husband.” Darcy kept her voice as free from worry as she could.

“You’re likely more powerful than you know,” Loki encouraged as well, though no one in the room was really buying taking the words at face value. 

Jane finally rushed after her new husband, Odin following slowly after while mentioning a need to get to Heimdall. Loki turned to hold Darcy’s arms now, looking into her eyes so intently that she nearly forgot all of the danger she’d just learned she was in.

“Is there anything you can give her to stabilize her in the meantime?” He asked Eir without tearing his gaze away.

“No. We never got that chance with Jane either; the Aether is too unpredictable.”

Loki gave a bitter nod, his entire face clenched as he appeared to come to final terms with something in his ever-divisive mind.

“In that case, there’s nothing left to do.”

Both women were giving him bewildered looks as he suddenly whisked Darcy away once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay (again)! This story is giving me anxiety now, like as I edit I'm not quite satisfied for some reason. I'm learning to just bite the bullet and go with it! 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoys, and hope everyone is safe and happy these days!


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